# A Soldier's Christmas



## Castaway Kay (May 21, 2004)

I know this will touch many of you. Dear Abby has an established
outreach program at the holidays, or if you live near a military base
you could contact the Social Services Officer and see invite someone to
share your holiday celebrations. Think about it.
Hugs,
Holly
> > 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.
> >
> > 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 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."
> >
> >


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