thank you.

heard a story today, here is my attempt to recreate it:

as the students filed into the classroom, they were shocked to find no desks, no chairs... they questioned their teacher, and she replied,

when you can tell me what you have done to deserve these chairs, a place to sit in my classroom, then i will bring the chairs back in. until then, you may sit on the floor.

now the students were all confused, and talked on the playground at every recess about what they could say to their teacher to get their chairs back.

but every time they would re-enter the classroom, the teacher would ask the question again, and no one would answer, so they continued sitting on the floor.

about ten minutes before class was to be let out for the day, there was a knock at the classroom door, the teacher opened the door, and in walked 27 soldiers, some old, some young, some men, some women, some still serving, some long done.

each soldier was carrying a chair.

and each one walked up to one of the 27 students sitting on the floor, and placed the chair down in front of them, and went and stood along the wall.

the teacher looked at the class, and said,

students, you see, nothing you have done, has earned you the right to sit in these chairs... it is because of these men and women, standing here before you, that you may do so. it is because they have sacrificed, and fought, and protected our country that you can even walk through these doors of this school.
so thank them.
and take your seat.


--- i imagined my cousin, zach, who is currently serving in Okinawa, carrying that chair for one of my children. it is because of him that my kids have a seat.