Ten-year-old twins, Carter and Jack Johnson began playing the game, “Battleship,” a few years ago. Their parents took them to the USS Yorktown, a retired battleship located in Charleston, SC, to spark further interest. They eagerly studied the history of this great ship and learned that one of its WWII sailors, Robert Harding, was still alive. The twins began emailing Mr. Harding, a man 80 years their senior.

Unbeknownst to the boys, CBS News arranged a meeting with Mr. Harding on the USS Yorktown. What happened next, is worth watching.

Joe’s Perspective – Appreciation: It’s so cool to see these 10-year-old boys cry when they met their hero. That’s right, hero! An old man… someone they never met and hardly knew… Someone who was not an athlete or a reality TV “star.”  The hugs, smiles and tears let you know how much it meant to the boys. It’s great to see.

Even more surprising is the response from Mr. Harding. Even though these Veterans know what they did and know how much it mattered, it still feels good to be noticed… honored… remembered. In this era of Twitter and instant fame, it’s nice to know you still matter. He saved most of those war stories in his head. “I guess, I just needed someone to talk to about it,” Hartman commented with tears in his eyes. “It’s funny how it worked out.”

It will not be too much longer before all of the WWII Veterans will be gone. But, for now, there are quite a few Mr. Harding’s around. Think how you could help each of them feel joy with a little hero worship of your own. Just sayin’.

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Who do you know in your life that is still alive and has lived through WWII, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement…? Think about sitting down with them, asking them questions and telling them how much you appreciate what they did? I wonder if it will benefit you or them more. Hmmm…