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Food #20: "And to All a Good Night": A Story of the Soldiers' Devotion

The Few, the Proud, the Brave Soldiers

God bless the soldiers who preserve, protect, and defend our freedom all though the day and all through the night. Please send the energy of love to the soldiers who even now are risking their lives for our freedom.

Although their lives may one day realize the promise of honor and glory, there is much more duty, sacrifice, and hardship for the common soldier and sailor than people - who have not lived through it - can ever imagine.

God Bless Them All... Every One...

'Twas the Night Before Christmas, He Lived All Alone,
On 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 of 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 on a Land Far From Home,
The Very Thought Brought a Tear To My Eye,
I Dropped To My Knees and I 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 Could Not 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."

Credits: by a Marine from Okinawa, Japan,
shared by Kathy Hoffsis and Seaman Lawrence McGinnis.

At Past Forward, we are very proud to be regularly visited by these branches of the United States Armed Services:

God Bless You All, Every One...