It was April and Tax Day was looming when an elderly woman showed up at my desk at the IRS. She said she required a thick stack of tax forms.

“Why so many?” I asked.

“My son is overseas,” she said. “He asked me to pick up forms for the soldiers on the base.”

“You shouldn’t have to do this,” I told her. “It’s the base commander’s job to make sure that his troops have access to the forms they need.”

“I know. I’m the base commander’s mother.”

When you see a soldier, past or present, short or tall,
Doing their military duty, answering their country’s call;

Take a moment to thank them, for protecting what you hold dear;
Tell them you are proud of them and make it very clear.

Just tap them on the shoulder, give a smile and say,
“Thanks for what you’ve done and sacrificed to keep us safe today.”