I think of you

Dear military families,

I think of you a lot, especially this time of year. That sounds kind of creepy, but let me explain. I grew up with you all around me. I lived next to you, went to school and church with you. I spent the first eighteen years of my life in a military town, seeing the many sacrifices of brave souls.

You are those brave souls. I know your service member tends to get a lot of well-deserved attention and praise, but I see you. I see how, in many ways, you sacrifice just as much. If you’re a military spouse, you’re the one left to deal with everyday life when your loved one is deployed. You have to live with the worry and fear. And if you have kids, you get to play the part of both parents, making sure no extracurricular activity or school project gets lost in the shuffle.

Even when your spouse is stateside, you know work takes priority. I mean, who can compete with the safety and security of a nation? And so that promise of helping Josh with his math homework ends up being one you get to fulfill. And while of course you’re proud of your spouse’s choices, I’m betting you sometimes wish you could just be like any other family for one night.

If your parent is the one in the military, you’re probably pretty good at packing boxes. Every few years, you have to start over. Say goodbye to old friends, move to an area you probably know nothing about. I’ve said goodbye to many of you, writing letters until you’ve adjusted to your new lives and are ready to focus on your new friends. In many ways, we’ve both had to start over, finding new friends to replace ones we’ve lost, but you have the pressure of doing it in a new place with entirely new people. You’re the perpetual new kid. That’s a tough role. You know why your parent does what he/she does, and you’re probably even super proud, but that doesn’t make you miss him/her any less.

And if you have a child in the military, you know the dangers of both deployment and stateside training, either because you’ve lived that life or you started extensive research the moment your child told you they were joining up. No doubt you’re wonderfully proud of the person you raised but you also live with an edge of fear lingering around you.

I think of all of you, the million tiny sacrifices you make and the greater ones. And I find you’re particularly heavy on my heart during the holidays, especially if your loved one is deployed. You adapt in so many ways, and I know you have to work extra hard to fill in the gap. You may not wear the uniform, but I know you’re just as much a part of the military as the one who does.

This season, I’m thinking of you, praying for you, and offering my gratitude for your work, your service. You are my heroes.

With all my thanks and admiration,