So what does Christmas mean to me?.....
I'll tell you in a bit. Lately I've been looking for intfo on my grandfather who was in the 5th Ranger battalion during the beach invasion of Normandy. He had to climb the cliff of Pointe du Hoc while recieving heavy fire from the Germans. Anyway, I've email places all across the country for info on him and to see if anyoe remembers him and can tell me about him. So that's what I have been doing today. Anyway, the following is what Christmas meant to me from 96-00.
'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,
> > > > > AND ON THE WALL PICTURES
> > > > > OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
> > > > >
> > > > > WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
> > > > > AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
> > > > > A SOBERING THOUGHT
> > > > > CAME TO MY MIND.
> > > > >
> > > > > FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
> > > > > SO DARK AND SO DREARY,
> > > > > THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
> > > > > NOW 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 M ORE,
> > > > > MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
> > > > > MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
> > > > >
> > > > > THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
> > > > > AND SOON 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 EVENING'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
A buddy of mine sent that too me back in 96 and I've kept it since. I printed it for christmas whenever I could and kept it in my breastpocket of my uniform and would read it at night while I was outside smoking the last cigarrette of the day. And when I was in the field, I would read it when everyone else went to sleep. I don't have any particular reason in sharing this with you, I'm doing it because even after I read it again today, I still remember what it felt like when I read it for the first time 5 years ago. And I still feel the same way now as I did then.
I love all of you, even though sometimes I may not show it or sometimes I'm an asshole to you.
Rob.
'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,
> > > > > AND ON THE WALL PICTURES
> > > > > OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
> > > > >
> > > > > WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
> > > > > AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
> > > > > A SOBERING THOUGHT
> > > > > CAME TO MY MIND.
> > > > >
> > > > > FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
> > > > > SO DARK AND SO DREARY,
> > > > > THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
> > > > > NOW 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 M ORE,
> > > > > MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
> > > > > MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
> > > > >
> > > > > THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
> > > > > AND SOON 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 EVENING'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
A buddy of mine sent that too me back in 96 and I've kept it since. I printed it for christmas whenever I could and kept it in my breastpocket of my uniform and would read it at night while I was outside smoking the last cigarrette of the day. And when I was in the field, I would read it when everyone else went to sleep. I don't have any particular reason in sharing this with you, I'm doing it because even after I read it again today, I still remember what it felt like when I read it for the first time 5 years ago. And I still feel the same way now as I did then.
I love all of you, even though sometimes I may not show it or sometimes I'm an asshole to you.
Rob.