IMany times in life, everything changes when looked at from another angle. Everything is a matter of perspective.

Winter’s chill has moved across Lawrence County, providing at least one portion of the typical Christmas. With only four days left, many people are hoping for at least a dusting of snow to paint the holiday scene.

Half a world a way, the picture looks much different for the men and women serving out nation in the armed forces in foreign lands such as Iraq, Afghanistan and across the globe. We owe it to each of them to send them our thoughts and our prayers as holiday gifts.

Thousands of American heroes prepare to find little ways to celebrate even while surrounded by the most harsh of environments.

We have Christmas trees. They have desert bushes. We have home-cooked meals. They have military rations. We have presents shared by loved ones. They have hundreds of angry foreigners who would love nothing more than to hurt the troops.

But the men and women who volunteered to risk their lives for our freedom are more than just soldiers. They are fathers. They are mothers. They are someone’s sons, daughters, brothers and sisters. They are someone’s family.

The rest of the nation must never overlook how fortunate we are and that some part of our lives is owed to our troops. Regardless of political beliefs, every American citizen and the citizens of all of the free world should stand behind these men and women — and never more so than right now.

It doesn’t matter if you support the war, President Bush or either political party. The only thing that truly matters is that we all stand behind the men and women who are overseas doing their jobs.

So as you sit down to unwrap those brightly wrapped presents, take a moment or two to think of the soldiers who are not able to be with their families.

Showing our troops a little appreciation and recognition is a way to give the best Christmas gift ever: It doesn’t cost anything and it makes everyone happy when it is returned.