A special Christmas Message !

Well its Christmas eve tomorrow and with work and family I shall be very busy so I wanted to take a few minutes to say a big 'Thank You' to everyone who has taken the time to read my blog, its still a baby at the minute but I am hoping to do much more with it in 2009.

I would also like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, to me Christmas is about family and especially the children, taking time to be together, celebrating and enjoying the company of each other. It is also a time to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

I have been very lucky in that I have always been surrounded with a very large family and yes we have our ups and downs as every family does but that's what makes it work. My own childhood was very different than those of my Grandchildren, my Mum didn't go out to work but spent her days sewing and baking enabling us to always have 'proper dinners' and new clothes even thought they were not well off. My Dad was a serviceman and served 21 years in the R.A.F. and although he spent many months sometimes away from home we were always together at Christmas

So I would like to ask you to read this poem that was written by a serving Australian Peacekeeping Soldier stationed overseas:-

T'WAS 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 DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED,
AN AUSTRALIAN 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 LAW."

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 DID NOT 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."

He asks that we pass this on to as many people as we can.

Christmas will be here in a couple of days and I am grateful to all of the service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. My own Stepson was recently a serving soldier in Irac. We should remember to think of our heroes, living and Dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.

Regardless of our political persuasions, regardless of our colour, creed or religion, regardless of our age or our sex, we undoubtedly owe our freedom and safety to our heroes in the forces, I also ask that you think of the families who's loved ones wont be home for Christmas this year, those brave men and women in foreign lands, far from home.


Merry Christmas


Maz