“At Christmas, all roads lead home.” – Marjorie Holmes
VALLEY FORGE
Christmas can be a very special time for everyone. Each year as we celebrate, we often remember those deeper connections of who has been really important in our lives -family, friends and others we will never forget.
Recently, my older brother Tim asked me about my favorite Christmas song. He said his was “Coming Home for Christmas.” He then sent me a brief note on a special Christmas memory he had when he was a Marine in Vietnam.
As I reach the upper end of my life, there is one Christmas I will always remember. On Christmas 1967 we had been choppered back to the Valley Forge after a brutal operation near the Cua Viet. There were packages and letters awaiting many of us, just like Christmas back home. At that time in my life, I realized the Marines and Corpsmen around me were my new family. The bonds created would stay with me the remainder of my life. For many of my family, this would be their last Christmas. At least for that one Christmas, we were all out of harms way, safe aboard ship and able to celebrate as a family. It was special.
He later said, that the song will always evoke the deep emotions tied to the special meaning of home. During war, the real possibility of never seeing home again makes that connection even more profound. It’s a stark reality – knowing that the Marine beside you today could be gone tomorrow.
EXERCISE
Do you have a song that brings back unforgettable memories? Or perhaps a Christmas that stands out in your mind, whether because of a joyful moment or a difficult experience? Take a moment to share these memories with someone close to you.
Remember, don’t act your age!