How a little girl plans to bring a smile to all veterans

Need a pick-me-up? Read this heartwarming, feel-good story submitted by one of our readers: 

"I had something happen to me on Saturday that I think all vets might like to hear. Anyway, Saturday I had just gotten my second Covid -19 shot at the VA CBOC in Jefferson City, MO. After, I went to Perkins to have lunch. When I walked in, a 9-year-old little girl looked at me and started pointing at me, lightly jumping up and down with a giant smile on her face. I knew it had to be a case of mistaken identity and she probably thought I looked like an uncle or something. Then she, her little sister and her Mom walked up to me, I lowered my mask and said with a grin: “I don’t think we know each other.” Her Mom replied: “ That’s not it.” What I didn’t realize is that the little girl had been pointing at my Army ball cap that I always wear. Puzzled, I looked down at the little girl and her mom and said, “Go ahead.” And, unexpectedly, the little girl came to attention and saluted me, then her little sister did too. Her mom explained to me that her daughter was born on Veterans Day, 2011. After the little girl got a little older, she decided that because of her birthday, she made it her mission to salute all veterans as a sign of respect and gratitude. I’m not a combat vet, but I know many who are from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Granada and The Middle East."