| Author | Message | ||
     Gregtonn |
A Different Christmas Poem The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight. The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream. The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow. My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near. Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight. A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold. Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child. "What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!" For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts� To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said, "Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night. "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times. No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December," Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers." My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ', And now it is my turn and so, here I am. I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.� Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag. �I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home. I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.. Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall." "So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right." "But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son." Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled. Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us." 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. LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN 30th Naval Construction Regiment OIC, Logistics Cell One Al Taqqadum, Iraq I thank and pray or each and every one of them. G | ||
| Wheelybueller |
WOW....... | ||
| Delta_one |
my eyes are all welled up | ||
| Nevrenuf |
very nice and very powerful. proud to have served. | ||
| Roadcouch98 |
God Bless Our Sons and Daughters, Sisters and Brothers.Let us not Fail them as they would not Fail us. Roadcouch98 | ||
| Ulywife |
Thanks for sharing. God Bless all of our service men and women, past and present, and their families. There are not enough words to express our gratitude. | ||
| Tepiddeath |
I want to send some holiday cards to some of our brave over there, anyone know an address? | ||
| Twowheeldream |
XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there need to know we are behind them. This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time and please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say enough thank you's. Thanks for taking to time to support our military! There's a section "From the Troops" which has notes from the soldiers about how much it means to them to receive these postcards. Please click and send! | ||
| Tbenson |
Twowheeldream, Thanks for the link! | ||
| Twowheeldream |
No prob, just sent mine. | ||
| 4_pete_sake |
I shure do wish I could rite like that.... "lump in throat" xerox card sent!!!! | ||
| Rde48 |
Card sent Thank You to all who have served our country! | ||
| Brumbear |
the hair on my neck and arms is up PRIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas to to all especially those who are or will be in harms way | ||
| Reepicheep |
Sent! Thanks, very cool! | ||
| 46champ |
I sent mine how about the rest of you | ||
| Bob_thompson |
That made a very special Christmas season for me Greg. Sending it e-mail to many of my friends. Serving your country, family and friends is truly honorable and patriotic especially at this time of the year when it can be very lonely away from loved ones. Lets all remember those who have served and are serving everywhere. God bless. | ||
| Whatever |
Tepid, There is a list of deployed badwebers I will dig out for you. A few of them came home already tho. Here http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/406 2/458197.html | ||
| Jumpinjewels |
Card sent. Can't express how much we appreciate the service that the men and women have given to keep this country safe and free. God Bless all our servicemen and women, both past, present and future. May God keep you and protect you. Come home safe. | ||
| Iman501 |
thats great!!! | ||
| Stingaroo |
Thanks for posting this. Whatever, thank you for posting that link. I was just going through my footlocker that I picked up today from the armory. Had all the letters and cards from Badwebbers, Erik, Court, friends and family that were sent to me while deployed this past year. Can't beleive I am sitting in comfy living room rereading all of them... Brian |
