A little early but A real Tear jerker..................

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 A HOME OF A SOLIDER ,ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.THE SOLIDER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME. tHE FACE WAS SO GENTEL THE ROOM IN SUCH DISODER, NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER. WAS THIS 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 SOLIDERS 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 MOTH OF THE YEAR , BECAUSE OF THE SOLDERS, 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 TEARS TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEENS AND STARTED TO CRY. THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, "SANTA DONT CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE; I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DONT ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY MY CORPS."THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER SNF DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTIUNED TO WEEP. I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL. I DIDNT 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, WHISPERING,"CARRY ON SANTA, ITS CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE." ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. " MARRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.

I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE.GOOD LUCK TO ALL AND GOODNIGHT