I posted this on huntingpa also.
This is a must read. Its a poem a friend shared on facebook that I thought summed up how a lot of combat soldiers/veterans live there lives after combat and how much they love our country. I went through it and with the love and support of my family and friends I was able to come to terms with my issues. Alcohol and drug abuse are a common theme that leads to jail, homelessness, or even death. If you know a veteran take the time to stop and tell them Merry Christmas or just a simple hello and thank you.
I personally hit rock bottom and neglected a lot of things in life one being my daughter. Three things happened that changed my life. 1) Even though I never drank in front of my daughter she always saw the discarded beer cans/bottles(24+ a day, every day almost) when she was about 6 she told me one night crying that she wanted me to stop drinking because I would die and she would miss me. She said she would have her mom, but she would still feel alone. This was a 6 year old. 2) I usually wore an old BDU top with my combat patch and CIB and I was in the store(drunk) and a little girl no more than 4 or 5 came up to me and hugged my leg and said thank you. I almost cried right there. 3) I got into a bar fight with 3 guys and was stabbed with a broken beer bottle in the arm and head. I hurt all 3 very badly along with myself. All three of these incidents occurred within a 6 month period. After that my family forced me to seek counseling and I was diagnosed with PTSD. I quit drinking cold turkey and didn't touch a drop for about 5 years. Very rarely will I have more than 1-2 drinks in a month now. That all took place almost 7 years ago. my years may be off as I don't remember some of them. Anyways I'm not asking for sympathy or anything else. I just find myself trying to help people be more aware of a combat veterans fight with inner demons. Some of us never really come home. Here is what was wrote. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
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 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 MORE, 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 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." So thankful for all our Service Men & Women of the US Military! ~Bill & Corrie / Taste & See
