Two Little Words, © 2013, Karla Dorman

What is a Veteran?

You can't always tell by looking.

He or she is the cop on the beat, a fireman running into a burning house, a doctor, a nurse, a medic, an EMT doing their best to bring someone back from the brink of death. 

He or she is the homeless bum you gave a wide berth to, because they stank.

He or she is the loudmouthed drunk at the bar, the one with a thousand yard stare, the one crying in the corner, the one cringing from the sound of fireworks.

He or she is the the teacher, the lawyer, the housewife, the father, the mother, the son, the daughter, the uncle, the aunt, the cousin, the nephew, the niece, the neighbor, the stranger.

He or she is the shaky handed one who rang your groceries up at the supermarket. Yes, that one, the one you got mad at because they were so. SLOW.

He or she is the one leaning on a cane. The one in a wheelchair. The one who has their service dog leading them through a life of darkness. The one scarred by burns. The one who is missing part of their body or their mind.

The one who looks completely ... normal. 

Wouldn't know they are heroes, would you?

You can't tell which one spent hours sweating in a desert, freezing on a mountaintop, who liberated a death camp.

You can't tell which ones had buddies die in their arms, taught a bunch of no account pukes what it meant to be a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine, or served quietly behind the scenes away from the rage of war.

The hidden, in plain sight. Ordinary, and yet, extraordinary human beings who gave the most vital part of themselves in service of this country, who sacrificed their ambitions so you didn't have to.

Yes. THEM.

So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say, 'Thank You.' That's all most of them will need.

Two little words: 'Thank you.'