Once again we find ourselves standing before Christmas. This year again finds many of you still in Iraq and Afghanistan, while others will see their Christmas in the Sudan or some other spot on a large map. Then there are those of you who now train in North America for Government or for Private interests. Your nightmares of what once was are often broken by your dreams of what is yet to come. My thoughts are also on those who have yet to experience life down range and who know that soon they will join the fraternal order of those who have.

I wonder if you know how much of my heart you occupy. This Christmas I want you to know that, all of you. Those that I have had the honor to walk with and to talk with and those that perhaps I never will. Still in many ways you have been part of this place since it's beginnings and will remain so long after each obstacle has disappeared into the abyss of time.

In our lifetimes there will always be politics and those who really know nothing of honor, truth or dignity yet they will sit in places of judgment over those who stand upon the hallowed ground of their Brothers in arms. Yet we must always remember the price of eternity must be paid by the few whom are willing to sacrifice for the many.

I pray that this Christmas all of you are granted a soldiers peace for you deserve that peace. I pray also that you will feel the pride for yourself that I feel for each of you. A man looks back upon his life and at times wonders where the time has gone. I look back upon mine and recall each of you. I guess this is my way of saying thank you to you who have given my life both purpose and meaning.

My Christmas will be I am certain filled with the faces and voices that have provided my strength and determination. For boys without you, all of you my words would not come. Merry Christmas and may GOD Bless each and every one of you and keep you safe until once again we share our adventures.

Until that time I will leave you with this story. As all stories it begins in ………….Once upon a time there was a flock of sheep. They grazed together on sweet young grasses and had only one worry a large wolf that would prey upon them at will, because that is what wolves do. The sheep sought out a dog to come and to protect them from the wolf because that is what sheep do. The dog agreed because that is what dogs do. The dog was not accepted by the flock in fact he spent lonely days and nights in all types of weather by himself overlooking the flock. Every now and then a sheep or two would approach him but they were soon chastised by the flock because after all he was a dog.

Days passed into months and the wolf seemed to stay away from the flock since the dog had showed up. Then one night the wolf came out of the darkness and attacked the flock. The dog quickly placed himself between the wolf and the flock and a terrible fight took place. As each sank long fangs into the other the sheep huddled together and trembled but offered no help to the dog, because that is what sheep do. It seemed as if hours had passed when finally silence returned to the darkness. The dog emerged torn and bloodied from the fight that had left the wolf dead. The sheep seeing the dog weak and bloodied left him to fend for himself and to heal as best he could.

Several of them spoke up at how much the dog was like the wolf in his tenacity and willingness to fight and yes even to kill. "How can we trust such a creature?" one sheep asked. "We can not have such a killer around" added another. "He could have chased the wolf off, there was no need to kill him" was another's advice. Thus the dog was again shunned by the sheep that had no further use for him. Then one day another wolf showed up on the horizon, hungry and dangerous. Immediately the sheep sought out the dog and just as quickly the dog once again stood his lonely vigil over the flock simply because that is what dogs do. They are faithful and loyal even when the sheep deserve the wolf. It is the dog who receives no glory, nor thanks, but it is also the dog and only the dog that has the courage to stand alone….

To all you dogs out there… aren't you glad that you're not a sheep. You will learn that to escape their constant "Baaing" one must often stand a lonely vigil and if even for a moment it is better to face the wolf than to live like a sheep. GOD Bless.

©Mike McConnery/Baden K9 Incorporated, 12/03/07

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