About 8 years ago we were moving to Phoenix. Scott worked for Dreyer's Ice Cream at the time, and they had given us a very generous moving package. We had flown into Phoenix and arrived late, and took our tired children to the hotel restaurant. It was a Marriott, if I remember correctly, and the restaurant was pretty formal. We had taken our kids to restaurants pretty regularly, but I remember being particularly anxious for them to behave appropriately, with the formal setting, the lateness of the hour, and the conspicuous absence of other children. We had a big meal, knowing we wouldn't be picking up the tab.
We finished our dinner, and when it came time for the check, the waiter came and said that there was a Marine who was shipping out to Afghanistan the next day who was missing his family and wanted to pick up the tab for our family. My heart sank and was full of gratitude all at once. I was so grateful to that Marine for his act of generosity, and sorry that he didn't know that it would have been paid for by the company. I was humbled that my kids were well behaved enough (and that our patience was adequate!) to stir that kind of nostalgia in a soldier.
The next morning the breakfast area was full of Marines. I remember walking around looking at each one and wondering which of them had paid for our family's meal. Over the next several years as I watched the news and saw the announcements when a soldier was killed or wounded, I always wondered if it was "our" Marine who's photo was flashing across the screen. I've always had a reverence for the flag and our military, but now I have a very personal appreciation for the military and the sacrifice they and their families make in order to serve our country. Today, I have a special prayer in my heart for him and his family.
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