So is Christmas merry?
So as Christmas is approaching regardless of your religious beliefs it is a time to be spent with the ones we love. Family or friends visiting even if it is a once a year ugly sweater party you attend where you haven’t talked to some people since the last one. I was looking at photos of Christmas I spent in 1996 in the desert. And the thoughts came to me about all of those people out there this Christmas who stand a post or sit on a tower, patrol under the vast blue seas or fly above the high trees during the darkness. And on behalf of everyone at Band of Brothers Outdoors a big Thank you! Thank you for missing a Christmas so we can enjoy ours. Thanks for eating an MRE so we don’t have to. Thanks for having sand in your teeth while we Can watch our kids catch snowflakes on our tongues. Most of us have done it and its Not fun. Hoping for that care package of goodies or for that piece of mail to come. ( we didn’t have skype or video chat yet, that was something we just saw on the Jetsons). To hold on for the words our family or friends write and the hope that we will see them again soon. That numbered countdown on a wall or in our head about how many days we had left. 38 days and a “ wake up”.
We adapt, and overcome. We improvise and find a way to decorate our tent. Logos and sayings or characters drawn on a plywood door across our tent declaring loudly who we are and where we are from. We scrounge and trade to get a hold of a few twinkling lights to show we are alright. For most of us during the Holidays thats what it is just alright. We put up our tree and complain about the busy and over crowded stores. Truth be told there are Brothers and Sisters out there lying in a cot or hitting the bumps on some road in Gutalasomewhere wishing they could be HERE. As overwhelming and pushy and uncomfortable as this time of year can be, I say “suck it up”! Bet you never heard that before. When you want to bail out or tuck into hiding, Don’t! Go to that ugly sweater party and be here now. I must admit I missed a Christmas party and regret it. I have not been as festive as usual. So last night I attended my daughters basketball game and embraced the Yule Tide Cheer. Do it for those who can’t this Christmas and all of those who will do it for us in 5-10 or even 20 years from now. People who are not even born yet will miss a Christmas for you in your lifetime. Christmas can be tough but it doesn’t have to be. Soldier on sing silent night proudly, eat too much and be uncomfortable. Take cookies and candies and don’t worry about counting calories, its the holidays. Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good night.