This was emailed to me I thought I would share it with you guys and gals here, it is a good one and makes you think. Jim
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
> HE LIVED ALL ALONE, IN A ONE BEDROOM
> HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
>
> I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
> WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO
> SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
>
> I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT
> I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
> NOT EVEN A TREE.
>
> NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS
> FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG
> PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
>
> WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS
> OF ALL KINDS,
> A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
>
> FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
> IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
> I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
> ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
>
> THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT,
> ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
> IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
>
> THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
> THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
> NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED
> STATES SOLDIER.
>
> WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
> CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
>
> I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
> OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
> WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
>
> SOON ROUND THE WORLD
> THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
> AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
> A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
>
> THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH
> OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
> LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
>
> I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY
> LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
> IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
>
> THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
> I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.
>
> THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH
> VOICE, "SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
>
> I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
> MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
>
> THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED
> TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
> I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
>
> I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT
> AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
> FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
>
> I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD,
> DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
> SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
>
> THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
> WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
> WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
> IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
>
> ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
> AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
> "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
> AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
>
> This poem was written by a Marine stationed
> in Okinawa, Japan. The following is his request.
> I think it is reasonable.....
>
> PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this
> to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming
> soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and
> women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.
> Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe.
> Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead,
> who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small
> part to plant this small seed.
