A Million Thanks, One at a Time

Friday, May 21, 2004

Page 15

AT THE SIDEBAR (Column)

A Million Thanks, One at a Time

By J’AMY PACHECO

From the time my daughter started uttering her first slobbery baby words, I’ve tried to teach her to be polite. As the big purple dinosaur Barney says, “Please and thank you—they’re the magic words.” I’ve tried to reinforce that message.

It’s not always easy. Even now, at the age of eight, she’s so shy around strangers that getting her to whisper a hurried “thank you” from her hiding place behind my back takes some effort.

But it’s worth it.

It’s important to express gratitude. Whether expressed to a stranger who holds a door open, a friend who does a favor, a child who offers the gift of a handmade card or a surgeon who remembers to remove her instruments from your body before stitching it up—words of appreciation are always well-received.

It was, therefore, of interest to me that a 15-year-old California girl is attempting to motivate Americans to send a million thank-you letters to current and former U.S. military personnel around the world.

As a mom who has trouble motivating her own tiny family to get up and dressed on a daily basis, I find the idea of motivating a million Americans to do…well…anything to be daunting.

I first heard of Shauna Fleming’s effort one morning while listening to a country music radio station. I was attempting to pass a brush through my daughter’s uncooperative rag-curled hair at the time, and didn’t give Shauna’s plea much thought.

I can’t say I’m a huge fan of country music. I switched to country after my favorite oldies station started airing advertisements more appropriate for late night cable television than the early morning family hour. But the songs I heard on the country station quickly hooked me.

One of those songs was called “Letters From Home.” Sung by John Michael Montgomery, it’s a simple song about a soldier receiving three letters from home and sharing them with his buddies. It’s also a very moving song, and let me tell you, if you ain’t cried to that song, you ain’t heard that song.

The song also was part of what motivated Shauna Fleming to organize her massive campaign this month as part of National Military Appreciation Month, according to her web site.

Now, I’m not one of those who is easily motivated to jump on a “let’s all do this!” bandwagon. First, I’ve become an Internet-created cynic who immediately dismisses most of these pleas. Second, I’m a working mom who doesn’t have a lot of time to spare and who selfishly guards what little free time I do have.

But this effort hits close to home.

I have two brothers. One recently retired after more than two decades serving in the U.S. Army and the reserves; today, although a civilian, he still works on a military base where a big part of his job is taking pictures of soldiers before they get shipped overseas. Frankly, I don’t know how he does it.

My other brother is still active in the reserves. He’s got a wife, a toddler daughter, a baby on the way—and is a medic in the reserves who can be deployed at any time.

He’s about to be separated from his family for three weeks while he goes on extended annual training with his unit. His job will be to give physicals to soldiers about to be sent overseas.

It saddens me to think of him being separated from the little girl who so adores him; the toddler who loves to sing out “Da Da Da Da” while spinning until she falls down.

But each time I pick up a newspaper, I thank God that he will be giving physicals 200 miles away instead of patching up broken bodies on the other side of the world.

In my mind, I also thank the soldiers who are “over there,” doing their jobs day in and day out; who have also left behind daughters and sons, spouses and parents, friends and other family.

Now, I think, it’s time to commit that gratitude to paper. Thanks to Shauna Fleming and the students supporting her effort at her high school, it’s easy to do.

If you’d like to send a letter or a card (preferably handmade), you can mail it to: A Million Thanks, c/o Lutheran High School, 2222 N. Santiago Blvd., Orange, CA, 92867. Or you can send your thanks via e-mail to Sfleming@AmillionThanks.org or Gpinick@AmillionThanks.org. (Keep your messages positive.) You can also visit the web site at www.amillionThanks.org.

I spoke with Shauna’s principal Tuesday. He said about 350,000 messages have been received so far. I’m going to write one, and my little girl is making a card.

That’s 350,002 down; 649,998 to go.

And hey, thanks for helping out. I know I won’t be the only one who appreciates it.