Our "greatest generation".

As a sort of side note to yesterday's Memorial Day observances, I was sitting outside the coffee shop in Greendale just a minute ago and watched a lady help her elderly husband into their mini van. He was getting around with a walker. I was going to offer to help but it looked like she had things under control. He had to be in his mid-80's. He was tall and thin. He might have been a veteran - maybe not. Now - my brother and I were watching some of the Band of Brothers episodes last night and I got to thinking that - if a guy was 17 and enlisted in 1941, he'd be 86 now...around the age of this elderly gentleman getting into his mini van.

There aren't many WWII vets left. Respect your elders when you see them. Honor them - not just on Veteran's Day or Memorial Day - but every day. This generation, in particular, sacrificed much for our country. Men and women. Vets or not. Cut'em some slack. They were our age once. Young, verile - had the same wants and desires as we did. Soon we'll all be like them. And I'm pretty sure we'll all want the same respect when we're that age, don't you think?