Dealing

I was talking with a friend today who's hubby is leaving for deployment in a couple days and it made me think. She's not thrilled that he's leaving and she's been feeling very anxious and just wants him to go and come back and be done with. I have never had to survive a deployment and there are none planned in the near future for us, but I've seen many girls power through the good and the bad times of a deployment. To these women, all my admiration!

I have no idea how I would deal with a deployment, how I would attempt to prepare for it or how I would manage the whirlwind of emotions. All I know is I'd do my damn best to survive and see it through! Js and I have talked about possible deployments and we are aware of each other's views, expectations and feelings towards the situation. I think that's most important if you are going to make it through as a couple. It's not easy, nothing is! I'm not a fool and I'm aware it's much easier said than done, but I need to give myself the confidence I need to face the facts.

I guess it's the whole "rippin' off a bandaid" thing... you have a choice to make it long and painfull and be miserable or you can deal with it and rip it off... sure it still hurts the same, but you're protecting yourself from more pain and sadness. Life's what you make of it, right?

It's hard enough as it is to deal with the military lifestyle when you're not the one who signed up for it, you have to pick your battles. This isn't just about deployments, it's about the little things and the big things and everything in between. A sucky posting, delays for promotions, neverending training, technicalities and dates that always change... They become a reality of your daily life. You can accept them (without necessarily embrace them!) and learn to live with them or you can clam up and be miserable.

Js told me today that spouses are what's holding the CF together. I firmly believe him.