ChileRelleno 0 #1 November 29, 2003 Received this as a E-mail, thought I'd share it with y'all. QuoteThe Night Before Christmas 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, >THEY 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. > > >The information contained in this e-mail message and any attachments is >confidential and intended only for the addressee(s). If you are not an >addressee, you may not copy or disclose the information, or act upon it, >and you should delete it entirely from your email system. Please also >notify the sender that you received this e-mail in error. ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414 Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sundevil777 102 #2 November 29, 2003 Well spoken. ------------------------------ You don't get something for nothing You can't have freedom for free. You won't get wise with the sleep still in your eyes No matter what your dreams might be (not my words, but I think they fit)People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #3 November 29, 2003 from http://www.snopes.com/glurge/soldier.htm "This piece, which sees wide circulation every Christmastime, is generally credited to "a Marine stationed in Okinawa, Japan" (or, since September 11, a Marine stationed in Afghanistan). More specifically, an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel named Bruce Lovely has taken credit for composing this poem, claiming that he penned it on Christmas Eve 1993 while stationed in Korea (and saw it printed under his name in the Ft. Leavenworth Lamp a few years later)..." We're sorry to say, however, that Lt. Col. Lovely does a great disservice to his fellow servicemen by claiming authorship of "The Soldier's Night Before Christmas," because it was published in Leatherneck (Magazine of the Marines) in December 1991, a full two years before Lt. Col. Lovely supposedly wrote it. The Leatherneck version was titled "Merry Christmas, My Friend" and was attributed to James M. Schmidt, then a Lance Corporal stationed in Washington, D.C...." Personally, while I think its a nice story, I'm pretty sceptical of anything that instructs readers to "mail to all your friends...." _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpjumps 0 #4 November 29, 2003 Whoever wrote it is is wonderful... I've seen it before and it makes me cry everytime... Maybe that's cause my Daddy died, homeless and alone, after a brave fight with agent orange related cancer. All he ever wanted to do was defend his country. I'd been with him shortly before his death but missed actually telling him good bye that month. You'd be suprised how many soldiers (at least of the Vietnam era have ended up isolated only wanting to be appreciated.) Thanks for a sweet postYour character will ultimately determine your destiny. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kai2k1 0 #5 November 29, 2003 I dont care who wrote it, its awesome, just plain awesome. There's no truer sense of flying than sky diving," Scott Cowan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaGimp 0 #6 November 29, 2003 i recieve it every year since i am in the military and every year i read it over and over. Because i can relate to the story, i have seen myself a few times when i read it."Professor of Pimpology"~~~Bolas Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kai2k1 0 #7 November 29, 2003 RQuotei recieve it every year since i am in the military and every year i read it over and over. Because i can relate to the story, i have seen myself a few times when i read it. Thats totally cool. I was Army from 1990-1994. HOO AHH!! There's no truer sense of flying than sky diving," Scott Cowan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freefallfreak 0 #8 November 30, 2003 QuoteMaybe that's cause my Daddy died, homeless and alone, after a brave fight with agent orange related cancer. All he ever wanted to do was defend his country. God Bless your father.. QuoteYou'd be suprised how many soldiers (at least of the Vietnam era have ended up isolated only wanting to be appreciated.) So very, very true... With all that said - If any here are Nam Vets - Welcome home, Brothers, and Peace be with each and every one of us this holiday. TripleF Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #9 November 30, 2003 A few places to go and show appreciation this Christmas... TreatsforTroops and USO - How You Can Help There are many organizations which will help show your support this year to those who are stationed away from their families...for the price of a jump ticket and a pack job. You can spare that, can't you? And if you are still looking for a place to help, contact the local shelter. They always need food servers at Christmas time. Or clean out your cupboards of canned goods and all that ramen, abg it up, and take it to your local food pantry. There are lots of ways to "pay it forward"...please do. You will never know who you help; who, by a small gesture of generosity, will take faith from that, and move forward in their life. Thanks to all those who served, and all those who are serving. You make a difference, and I appreciate it. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freefallfreak 0 #10 November 30, 2003 Michele, If that was meant for me, I always pay it forward, especially when it comes to Vets...after all, I'm a disabled Nam Vet myself and spend a lot of time at the VA Medical Center in Augusta as a volunteer. TripleF "Upon seeing the shadow of a pigeon, one must resist the urge to look up." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #11 November 30, 2003 Hi, my Favorite Freaky Freefaller (tripleF, get it??) No, it was not directed at you. I know you pay it forward with regularity, and I know a bit of your history (what you've shared with me). I appreciate you and your service very much, and I know you reach out to fellow enlisted whenever and wherever you can. You were simply the last one who posted, so I hit reply. It was directed at those who want to say Thanks, but may not know how or where. I was just trying to faciliate those who might not know what to do by supplying a link or two for simplicity. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
