There is such a time in every military wife’s life when her husband is either in the field, on course, foreign posting or exercise. The wife doubles as the father and mother to the children and she’ll have to manage everything all by herself including emergencies at night; she drives herself to the hospital for the delivery of her new born baby and the husband may not even witness the christening of the baby. There are times emotions set in and you want to cry eloquently about your problems to your faraway husband and you suddenly remember he needs to be mentally stable to be able to discharge his duties amid difficulties and danger, and you gently remind yourself his primary assignment is to protect the country while the protection of his wife and children is secondary. There is always the fear looming at the back of her mind over her husband’s safety, the inevitable long wait for his safe return is always a test of patience. A soldier does not fight to win battles but he fights to get back home and some of them may never get back home, may never have the privilege to bid their family farewell. Happy Armed Forces Remembrance Day to our fallen heroes.

Fagoyinbo Adenike Lydia.