Beth Schmillen  
This is about a Veitnam war Vet who had also suffered from depression because of war but they didn't call it PTSD... then... and I can't recall how they phrased it...

On the NPR radio station they have a short program called "This I believe."  Anyone can submit their essay and then if chosen they tell their essay for the audience and it is in the library of "This I believe."

Just now, a Vietnam era war vet who'd been injured in 1968 told of his Christmas then. He'd been taught by the nuns in his parochial schools all the lyrics and melodies of the traditional Christmas music and he told of all the young boys voices (pre-pubescent) sounding more like a pondful of frogs than the Vienna Boys Choir! (LOL).... but he said all the school yard fights and rivalries were gone when they all sang the music at such a young age.

It was on Christmas Eve and he'd been airlifted to Japan for surgery that might save his leg from the machine gun blastings that had shattered it. He also had shrapnel all over his body and his hands had been burned to some extent and were bandaged.

He found himself in a room and was aware of hearing Christmas music. He quoted the refrains of the music that came to him as he heard them that evening but the Chrismas music was yet to be magic. Next to him was a man lying in bed with a full body cast and only eyes nose mouth apperently showing.... When the nurse came in to check on them, he asked to have his bed moved closer to the man in the body-casts bed. Then he reached out and held his hand.

He knew that no matter the pain he was experiencing there was no way of knowing the lonliness and pain his new friend must be in. His new friend slowly tightened his grip on the hand that had been offered and they both heard the refrains of the uplifting christmas music piped in through the crackly speakers that Christmas Eve.
Dec 23rd 2007 10:58