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Posted by Victor H Plank on December 20, 2006, 4:43 pm
> T'WAS 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, AN
> AUSTRALIAN 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 FOR 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, ITS 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."
>
> While this was penned with regard to an Australian Soldier, it could just
as
> well be true of any of the girls and boys of our Allies out there watching
> our back - may they have a blessed Christmas and soon return, whole in
mind
> and body, to those who care for them after bringing Peace to those
troubled
> lands in which they find themselves.
>
Excellent
Thank You
Merry Christmas to All (except France)
Vic
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