You stay up for 16 hours
He stays up for days on end.
You take a warm shower to help you wake up
He goes days or weeks without running water
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forwards
You put on your anti war / don't support the troops shirt and go meet up with your friends
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags
You talk trash about your 'buddies' that aren't with you
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls
He patrols the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists
You complain about how hot it is
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong
He doesn't get to eat today
You maid makes your bed and washes your clothes
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean
You go to the mall and get your hair redone
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today
You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume
You roll your eyes as a baby cries
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting
You hear jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him
He hears the gunfire, bombs, and screams fo the wounded
You see onloy what the media wants you to see
He sees the broken bodies lying around him
You are asked to go to the store by your parents.  You don't
He does exactly what he is told even if it puts his life in danger
You stay at home and watch TV
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable
He tries to sleep but gets woken by mortars and helicopters all night long
                ***Support Our Troops***

and pray for the ones who have yellow ribbons this holiday season*