paratrooper – Clarabelle

Following on from my previous post, I dedicate this poem to Steve who is sadly no longer here:

A Paratrooper….

I saw an Ad
To write to you
You wanted a friend
Another focus too.

In January 97,
You said “Hello”
“My name is Steve
I have a sore toe.

From all the marching,
And running too,
It bleeds sometimes,
But this is what I do.

I jump from planes,
It was scary at first.
But now these skyfalls
Quench my thirst.

I love to travel,
I love the sun
I’m studying like crazy.
When not with a gun.

A paratrooper by title,
I was 18 at the start,
5 years later,
A strong soldier with a heart.

Sometimes I’m lonely,
A lot of times I’m not.
So busy with my life,
I make good of what I’ve got.

I love my fitness,
It’s important to me.
I try to improve,
Be the best I can be.

Sorry if this letter,
Arrived a little late.
But I’ll send you some photos,
Just a little more to wait.

I love to get your mail,
Please write soon Claire.
Keep smiling, soldier on.
Love from Steve, take care.”

31 of these letters,
I treasure with happy tears
So sad that you are gone Steve,
Thank you for those two years.

By Clarabelle

Sharing some happy tears with you today.

In 1996 I replied to a newspaper advert, pen friends for people in the British Army – I thought it would be a nice thing to do.

On the 13th January 1997 I received my first letter from Steve, he was 23 years and had been serving in the British army since he was 18 years old, the airmail letter came from Bosnia. We never actually met, we just wrote to each other for a period of 2 years.

I was clearing out old papers from my mum’s house the other day and came across Steve’s letters to me – 31 of them. Today I am reading all these letters again, I am happy, I am sad (but in a good way) and I have gained such heart warming inspiration from them, all over again….I wonder where Steve is now? I wish him very well

These are the little unexpected moments of life that put some true meaning and purpose into it all. Feeling blessed.

Write a letter to someone today, go on, I know it would be a very lovely thing to do and you and the other person will get so much from it.

Love Clarabelle

Please note, that sadly after writing this blog post, I was so sad to find out that Steve passed away in September 2012 at the very young age of 39 years, I am so shocked. I will try my best to get in touch with his mum and forward his beautiful letters to her. He was so happy and full of life, such a loss to this world that he is no longer here. I think this is just a little reminder to us all that we must make the most of our lives and focus on the important things to us going forward. Clarabelle