Christmas candle of hope ... Will you join in ?

[Royboy39]

Originally Posted by cherokee

Lighting a candle is nothing to do with any religion, It is to come together as a country and let our servicemen and women who are away doing a difficult job at a difficult time of year know that they have the support and are in the thoughts of folk back home.

I got involved in this charity purely because my lad was out there and I wanted to do something to keep me from going stare crazy while he was away. Only when he came home and relayed some of the heartbreaking stories of lads not having folk back home I decided to continue with my involvement and support not only my son but every other lad and lass out there whoever they are.
They are all fighting the same cause rightly or wrongly, I am not doing it to judge,

Its plain and simple, If like me you feel you want to let them know we are thinking of them then please feel free to join in and light a candle.
If not and you want to show your support in other ways thats fine too.

If you dont want to show your support then thats your perogotive, you see our lads are out there to make sure you have choices like that to make.

Cherokee.....Please. Please do not get me wrong.....I was a serving Warrant Officer in the British Army in the late fifties and sixties.
I have done my stint and recognise the hardships that our lads and lasses have to endure perhaps more that most of the members of Accyweb.
Pray that your lad comes home safe as my mother did for me.
My Grandmother prayed for her two sons to come home in WWII but they never did.

[garinda]

We had a flame before we had any religions.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by garinda

It isn't a protest though, it's an act of solidaErity, and to show the people out there that they aren't forgotten.

Exactly .... why can't people see it ....

[Royboy39]

I will wait until the Accyweb Intellegencia have had their say and come back.

[cherokee]

Royboy I did read your post and although i didnt quote i did see you will be sharing a thought.
Thats fine and appreciated, the candle is just a show of like has been said "solidarity".
Thankyou though as your support is recognised.

[cherokee]

Can I just say for the record though as some may have misunderstood, Thankfully my lad is home this xmas, However he is to return to the sandy place sometime in the new year.
It wont stop doing my bit though for those still out there.

[grannyclaret]

Originally Posted by Aleks

Like giving out karma. Who actually cares what karma you have i mean really? People on here get really ****ed off if someone sends them bad karma without putting thier username next to it. Soryy but if that annoys you then get a life.

Thats just it ,bad karma and good soldiers are as different as chalk and cheese,,,.......and They Have a life,ALTHOUGH SOME GET IT CUT SHORT ,,,,,,

[Doug]

While this thread meanders on debate the merits of lighting candles in support of British Forces in the field, another light was extinguished tonight in Afghanistan.

I think we need to keep perspective, thousands of people will pause for thought and light a candle between now and the New Year, thousands more won’t. It’s what we do as individual that counts.

Much of what as been discussed in recent posts as little to do with what this thread is trying to achieve, which is to inform people of what others are doing to give troops in the field support through their thoughts, either way the message will get through because these posts are read by serving personal and they are talked about.

Religion, karma or what you agree or disagree with as ****** all to do with anything, I will light many candles for many different reasons over this season, one will be for them and for one family member already lost, my feelings and thoughts will be with him and his family. Just do what you believe is right, you don’t even need to do anything on the day, there is more than one day over Christmas use each as you see fit.

[onlyme]

Hiya

I've had this come through, and thought it would be apt to share with you:

A poem for Christmas by a Royal Marine Commando.

A Very Merry Xmas to you all.

A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the garden to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Grandfather died in France ' on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gran always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of Burma
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... a Union flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a trench with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

" So go back inside," he said, "harbour no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
Armed Service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people
stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us..

Chris Smith
(Skipatrol)
Royal Marine Ret

[Neil]

Originally Posted by katex

Always reminds me of the poor sods who had to go and fight in Vietnam with no support from the people. They just did their duty to the U.S. Government as expected. Gave me a very bad opinion on the population of America.

I thought one of the main reasons the Yanks pulled out was due to public opinion against the war.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Neil

I thought one of the main reasons the Yanks pulled out was due to public opinion against the war.

It was...after being there ten years.

[Neil]

I think protests against the war in London would show more support than lighting candles and may have a bigger impact on those in Government.

When is the next general election?

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Neil

I think protests against the war in London would show more support than lighting candles and may have a bigger impact on those in Government.

When is the next general election?

As stated earlier, this isn't a protest against war(s).

It's to show our troops that they aren't forgotten, whilst serving in some godforsaken hell hole this Christmas.

[grannyclaret]

my candle is lit cherokee...

[derekgas]

As have I, and karma to onlyme for that excellent poem, well spotted.