Post by 7th on Dec 24, 2008 7:07:38 GMT 12.75
This email has been around for years and I still cry when I read it, get the tishues and remember them:
> 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.
>
> The following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....
>
>
>
> 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
>
> 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.
>
> The following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....
>
>
>
> 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.