By:  LINDSEY O’NEILL, ESQ.

Today I have a special story to tell you.  It’s a story about a young man I met on a plane – and meeting that young man changed me forever. 

About a month or so after 9/11, when most of us were still feeling pretty sensitive about the times (especially about flying), I took a short commuter flight from San Diego to Sacramento.  I sat next to a young man, I think about 19 or 20 yrs old, who was on his way home somewhere in the Midwest, after having recently joined the Marine Corp.  We spoke briefly about his training, but talked more about how much he looked forward to seeing his family – his father, mother and grandfather in particularly.  Generations of men in his family had been military men, which he always admired, but he explained he had a much deeper appreciation for those men now after having begun his own journey.   He was very polite, but what struck me more than that was the combination of innocence and reverence in him.  And then something happened….

We experienced some moderate turbulence.  For a few moments there was silence on the plane… a reaction to that fresh post-9/11 collective sensitivity.  And immediately, with deeper instinct, the young man turned to me, put his hand on my arm and said, “Ma’am, if anything happens I’ll protect you.” 

Turns out it was just the weather… but even recalling it now my eyes are filled with tears.  This young man, just starting out in life, automatically responded not to his own fears… but to mine.  The love and loyalty and strength, deep in his own heart, was offered to me as a gift … without even thinking.  He might think he didn’t have to protect me, because it was just the weather.  But what he doesn’t know is that he did protect me - in that moment and, honestly, for the rest of my life just knowing he and others like him are out there.  

I thought… wow, most of us wonder if there is even one person in our lives who would ‘take a bullet’ for us… or be there for us in tough times… or give us unconditional love.  Maybe some of us can actually even name a few who fit that mold.  But, I realized… we have so many!  We have all the men and women in our armed forces who have protected us in the past, who protect us now, and who will protect us in the future.  Each of these people actually do take bullets for us, are the ones being strong in tough times, and, by virtue of it all, embody what unconditional love really means. 

So this Independence Day, here is my thank you to that young man and to all the men and women who protect our rights and our freedoms.  Whether serving in the military, in the police force, in the legislative or executive branches, or undercover….  without them, the legal system that protects our rights would not exist (brining it back to law, since this is a legal blog).   

Happy Fourth of July!!  Celebrate – enjoy the picnics and barbeques, laugh with your loved ones, marvel at the fireworks, and appreciate each of those people who make it all possible. 

Related topics:  Help Your Country by supporting our troops, making a donation, volunteer your time and more!