Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. ~G.B. Stern

hum·ble [huhm-buh l, uhm-]  hum·bler, hum·blest,
 verb, hum·bled, hum·bling. adjective

1. not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful. 
2. having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.: In the presence of so many world-famous writers I felt very humble. 
3. low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly: of humble origin; a humble home. 
4. courteously respectful: In my humble opinion you are wrong. 
5. low in height, level, etc.; small in size: a humble member of the galaxy. 




Being a 'military' mom, has been a humbling experience. Not the 'mom' part. Let's face it. That ship sailed 23 years ago, give or take. It's been humbling as a citizen.

We live in a world where sketchy cell coverage, shoddy internet connections and basic cable are all treated as tragedies, but are mere inconveniences. We can connect with anything, and anyone, at any given moment.
When I spoke with my daughter the other day, she told me she had earned the phone call and shampoo, and conditioner, and lotion, along with 84 other girls. They earned it by being just a cut above.

I began thinking how one generation tends to dismiss the following in one fell swoop, under a blanket label. The hippies. The X-ers. And the latest, The Me-generation. You know, the one with the inflated sense of entitlement. Yet....hundreds of thousands of young men and women are signing up in droves to volunteer for the inconveniences that come along with being in the military. They live in a world where the inconveniences are not only endured, they are welcome. They sacrifice. Real sacrifice. Family. Friends. Free time. Contact. Meanwhile, we don't even have to deal with being bored during a pesky waiting period at the Doctors office. We can whip out our phones, tablets, and check our Facebook, e-mail, or play a game. How many of us know sacrifice? Real sacrifice? Were you thankful this morning when you shampooed your hair? I wasn't.

What makes anyone so arrogant, that they can dismiss an entire generation? Why not honor those that are making the sacrifice? Sure...we honor them once, twice a year. We think of them. We thank them. We sleep soundly at night, because our air, land, and sea borders are being watched twenty-hours a day, seven days a week. Every generation has had the young men and women sign up. Some continued, some didn't. At least they gave some. I gave none.

Truthfully, I didn't give it much thought until I became privy to all there is to it. What has to be learned, and earned. Boot camp is a recruits way of proving to the military that your worth it. Not the other way around.

These kids have to earn the right to die for our freedom. The next time I hear anyone grumble about those 'damn kids today' I think my standard response will be: What kind of shampoo did you use this morning?

This 'Me-Generation' that everyone is cranked up about has my sincerest, and utmost respect, and gratitude.