With pride and humility I pass this one on. 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."
Massive respect to all the Lads and ladies away from home and working in the worse conditions you can consider .I don't know any soldiers but they all have our best wishes at this time of peace and goodwill.
got a few good mates in the army, its horrible for me as a mate when their on tour so god knows how the families cope!!!
they do a great job, weather other thinks it's for the right or wrong reasons they are just doing what they have to. I always try my best to support the troops. Was a amazing day doing the first Wotten basset run in 2009. For a good cause and I was almost in tears at the support on the day
Makes you stop and think how irrelevant my airport woes poem is. My oldest son’s best mate’s dad was killed by a road side bomb whilst working as a security adviser in Bagdad. He had done many tours in war zones whilst serving with the Green Jackets. But decided to do “one more job” to pay off the mortgage and therefore give his family a better standard of living. If this carries on every family will be touched in some way or another. Me, I wear my wrist band with pride everyday.
Mrs mates sons out their now I wear a band for his battalion currently. Your airport thread was great, were all guilty of forgetting what's going on out their let's face it out of sight out of mind it's the way people are but it's sobering when you spot something like this. I'm feeling down at the moment cus of my arm, can't train, work, can't really get out the house as if I do my hand doubles in size, can't even shower properly at the moment, but in 4,6,8 weeks I'm hoping I'll be back to normal service. What if I'd lost my arm or leg or numerous limbs theirs no getting over that your life is changed in an instant. So reading this made me think, life ain't that bad and kicked me straight up the arse, I needed it!!!
Cheers Benn, Nice poem that.. Will be out there next year.. I have mates out there now plus 5 more going out in March/April.. mucho respect for those troops out there, especially this time of year
