Thank You for Your Service

Yesterday I had to work.  I hate working Sundays because it is always 4 hours straight on the public floor.  No rest for the weary, nowhere to hide.  Oh, and not what I normally do, so no comfort level.

I was just working my day away when an Army woman (dressed in full camo) came up and asked me where the catalog was.  I showed her and told her to let me know if she needed any help.  I wanted to thank her for her service, but felt like an ass.  The words seem so hollow, since it is not my life on the line.  And I was at work.  I didn't know what was appropriate.  So I didn't say anything.

She came up to me later and asked me if we had something.  I checked the catalog and couldn't find it.  I was a little panicked, because I really wanted to help this woman.  It seemed so wrong that I might not be able to get her what she wanted.  So I went to WorldCat and did a keyword search in combination with the author's last name, and got a better authority on the author.  Then I came back to our catalog and searched by the author, and lo and behold we had something, and it was an ebook that she could access from anywhere.  As this was happening, another customer came up and thanked her for her service.  I almost cried right there (stupid hormones).  There was just something so powerful about it.  It always makes me think of my grandfather's funeral when they handed my Alzheimer's addled grandmother the flag and thanked her for Papa's service, and she pulled it together right in that moment and accepted that flag with all the grace and poise of someone who was totally mentally competent.

Anyways, the other lady walked away, and I showed the servicewoman how to access the ebook, and she got *so* excited.  And I felt so gratified.  I may not have thanked her for her service with my words, but I gave her the best service I could so she could do her job.  And that made me happy.

I want to say a virtual "thank you for your service" to that woman and to everyone else who serves, or has served in the armed forces.  I come from a Navy family, and I have nothing but thanks and respect for our armed service members, completely independent of any political views I have.  Thank you for your service.