July 4th Birthday at Christmas in Airport

The best birthday in an airport I could ask for

Yes, my birthday is July 4th which makes me more patriotic than most, more proud to be an American than most and always cry during the national anthem or America The Beautiful. Imagine my surprise and my pride when departing from Midway airport in Chicago en route to NYC to spend the holidays with THE son:-) when I heard applause across the airport.

I was in line at a restaurant paying for a bottle of water when I turned to see what celebrity might be passing. Instead, I saw masses of people on the outer edges of the concourse part, like Moses parting the Red Sea (OK, it is Hanukah:-) so that groups of soldiers returning from Iraq could revel in the applause afforded to them by ordinary citizens. I felt like I just got the best holiday gift to be able to participate in that applause. OK, that's it, can't write anymore, crying again.