DebbieH
Cathlete
I received this E-mail today. Hope you don't mind my sharing it here. Read on:
I sat in my seat of the Boeing 767 waiting for everyone to hurry
and
> stow their carry-ons and grab a seat so we could start what I was
sure to
be
> a long , uneventful flight home. With the huge capacity and slow
moving
> people taking their time to stuff luggage far too big for the
overhead and
> never paying much attention to holding up the growing line behind
them, I
> simply shook my head knowing that this flight was not starting out
very
> well.
> I was anxious to get home to see my loved ones so I was focused on
"my"
> issues and just felt like standing up and yelling for some of these
clowns
> to
> get their act together. I knew I couldn't say a word so I just
thumbed
thru
> the "Sky Mall" magazine from the seat pocket in front of me. You
know it's
> really getting rough when you resort to the over priced, useless
sky
> mall crap to break the monotony. With everyone finally seated, we
just
sat
> there with the cabin door open and no one in any hurry to get us
going
> although we were well past the scheduled take off time. No wonder
the
> airline industry is in trouble I told myself. Just then, the
attendant
> came on the intercom to inform us all that we were being delayed.
The
entire
> plane let out a collective groan. She resumed speaking to say "We
are
> holding the aircraft for some very special people who are on their
way
> to the plane and the delay shouldn't be more than 5 minutes. The
word
> came after waiting six times as long as we were promised that "I"
was
> finally going to be on my way home. Why the hoopla over "these"
folks? I
was
> expecting some celebrity or sport figure to be the reason for the
hold
> up.........Just get their butts in a seat and lets hit the gas I
> thought. The attendant came back on the speaker to announce in a
loud and
> excited voice that we were being joined by several U. S. Marines
returning
> home
> from Iraq!!! Just as they walked on board, the entire plane erupted
into
> applause. The men were a bit taken by surprise by the 340 people
> cheering for them as they searched for their seats. They were
having their
> hands
> shook and touched by almost everyone who was within an arm's
distance
> of them as they passed down the aisle. One elderly woman kissed the
hand
> of one of the Marines as he passed by her. The applause, whistles
and
> cheering
> didn't stop for a long time. When we were finally airborne, "I" was
> not the only civilian checking his conscience as to the delays in
"me"
> getting home, finding my easy chair, a cold beverage and the remote
in my
> hand.
> These men had done for all of us and I had been complaining
silently
> about "me" and "my" issues. I took for granted the everyday
freedoms I
enjoy
> and the conveniences of the American way of life I took for granted
others
> paid the price for my ability to moan and complain about a few
minutes
delay
> to "me" those Heroes going home to their loved ones. I attempted to
get
> my selfish outlook back in order and minutes before we landed I
suggested
> to the attendant that she announce over the speaker a request for
everyone
> to remain in their seats until our hero's were allowed to gather
their
> things and be first off the plane. The cheers and applause
continued until
> the
> last Marine stepped off and we all rose to go about our too often
taken
for
> granted everyday freedoms......... I felt proud of them. I felt it
an
> honor and a privilege to be among the first to welcome them home
and
> say Thank You for a job well done. I vowed that I will never forget
that
> flight nor the lesson learned. I can't say it enough, THANK YOU to
> those Veterans and active servicemen and women who may read this
and a
> prayer
> for those who cannot because they are no longer with us. GOD BLESS
> AMERICA! WELCOME HOME! AND THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE !!!!!
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
I sat in my seat of the Boeing 767 waiting for everyone to hurry
and
> stow their carry-ons and grab a seat so we could start what I was
sure to
be
> a long , uneventful flight home. With the huge capacity and slow
moving
> people taking their time to stuff luggage far too big for the
overhead and
> never paying much attention to holding up the growing line behind
them, I
> simply shook my head knowing that this flight was not starting out
very
> well.
> I was anxious to get home to see my loved ones so I was focused on
"my"
> issues and just felt like standing up and yelling for some of these
clowns
> to
> get their act together. I knew I couldn't say a word so I just
thumbed
thru
> the "Sky Mall" magazine from the seat pocket in front of me. You
know it's
> really getting rough when you resort to the over priced, useless
sky
> mall crap to break the monotony. With everyone finally seated, we
just
sat
> there with the cabin door open and no one in any hurry to get us
going
> although we were well past the scheduled take off time. No wonder
the
> airline industry is in trouble I told myself. Just then, the
attendant
> came on the intercom to inform us all that we were being delayed.
The
entire
> plane let out a collective groan. She resumed speaking to say "We
are
> holding the aircraft for some very special people who are on their
way
> to the plane and the delay shouldn't be more than 5 minutes. The
word
> came after waiting six times as long as we were promised that "I"
was
> finally going to be on my way home. Why the hoopla over "these"
folks? I
was
> expecting some celebrity or sport figure to be the reason for the
hold
> up.........Just get their butts in a seat and lets hit the gas I
> thought. The attendant came back on the speaker to announce in a
loud and
> excited voice that we were being joined by several U. S. Marines
returning
> home
> from Iraq!!! Just as they walked on board, the entire plane erupted
into
> applause. The men were a bit taken by surprise by the 340 people
> cheering for them as they searched for their seats. They were
having their
> hands
> shook and touched by almost everyone who was within an arm's
distance
> of them as they passed down the aisle. One elderly woman kissed the
hand
> of one of the Marines as he passed by her. The applause, whistles
and
> cheering
> didn't stop for a long time. When we were finally airborne, "I" was
> not the only civilian checking his conscience as to the delays in
"me"
> getting home, finding my easy chair, a cold beverage and the remote
in my
> hand.
> These men had done for all of us and I had been complaining
silently
> about "me" and "my" issues. I took for granted the everyday
freedoms I
enjoy
> and the conveniences of the American way of life I took for granted
others
> paid the price for my ability to moan and complain about a few
minutes
delay
> to "me" those Heroes going home to their loved ones. I attempted to
get
> my selfish outlook back in order and minutes before we landed I
suggested
> to the attendant that she announce over the speaker a request for
everyone
> to remain in their seats until our hero's were allowed to gather
their
> things and be first off the plane. The cheers and applause
continued until
> the
> last Marine stepped off and we all rose to go about our too often
taken
for
> granted everyday freedoms......... I felt proud of them. I felt it
an
> honor and a privilege to be among the first to welcome them home
and
> say Thank You for a job well done. I vowed that I will never forget
that
> flight nor the lesson learned. I can't say it enough, THANK YOU to
> those Veterans and active servicemen and women who may read this
and a
> prayer
> for those who cannot because they are no longer with us. GOD BLESS
> AMERICA! WELCOME HOME! AND THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE !!!!!
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
