not once, but twice,

joy fills my heart,

bringing tears to my eyes.

~

I pass a stranger and on his head,

a cap, which he wears with pride,

I read the words, Gulf War Veteran.

~

I catch his attention,

as his eyes glaze down upon my face,

I say:  “thank you sir for your service”.

~

His eyes sparkle,

he tips his cap he so proudly wears,

 and he tells me, thank you.

~

not once, but twice,

joy fills my heart,

bringing tears to my eyes.

~

A few steps more toward the door,

what are the odds,

I pass an elderly man sitting with another.

~

on his head, a cap,

which he wears with pride,

I read the words, WWII veteran.

~

I try to catch his attention,

as I glaze into his eyes, which are non-seeing,

I speak loudly, I know I need to.

~

“sir, are you a WWll veteran”,

his friend tells me, yes he is,

I kneel down and look into his face.

~

“I thank you sir for your service”,

He replies, as a big smile spreads across his face,

thank you young lady.

~

I look up,

into the eyes of his friend,

just as mine they were wet with tears.

~

not once, but twice,

it feels right, to express my thanks,

to those that protect my country.

 

And, to think they thank me! This experience happened to me yesterday.