Complicated? Maybe not.
There is a special fascination about military life, particularly with regards family. Being married to a military spouse is not exactly how most of us think it is. Ours is a life of courage, constant pushing and stepping out of our comfort zone; conquering despite the odds and living above the weight that constantly pushes against you. No one is prepared adequately for it; young, new, eager, and quite frankly naïve is how we all get in. Most spouses are desperate to prepare for what lies ahead but truth be told, no stories, forums and or journals are adequate for this new life. Military life can be very stressful on families; long hours in the office/units, the toll of mental and physical injuries on the service member, the frequent moves and long separations all add up to the reality of what the life entails. The stress imposed on the children of military parents leaves such children isolated and may leave them often choosing to be by themselves or at least this has been my youngest son’s coping mechanism. These kids need resources within the community including friends, sporting activities, church or mosque, awareness on the part of the school system, openness by their teachers etc to be accommodated and helped in coping with the absence and whatever stress they may be experiencing. Guard up dear circumstantial single parent to learn on the job, to make mistakes, to get really sad and frustrated as it is a life filled with twists, turns, peaks, valleys and of course an unrelenting and overpowering speed. The strong women before us, we and the generation after us will most likely share this thought ‘what in the world is going on’ multiple times on this path of our lives but having accepted of your own volition to be with a man in camo, find it in your heart to simplify the complicated life.
