If you’re like me (and millions of others), you can recite a line or two (or ten) from NBC’s smash hit, Friends. But have you ever noticed how those same lines could actually be captions in the snapshots of military life?
In ten years, the entire Friends cast zipped out some fantastic (and very quotable) lines. Many seem to capture the military life pretty perfectly, adding just the right amount of humor to keep us happy.
Check out these six favorites that caption some of military life’s universal experiences.
1. “Welcome to the real world. It sucks! You’re gonna love it.”
When did you realize how tough military life can be? That it’s not all romance and ceremony? Was it when you first stepped into military housing? Got your first taste of deployment? Counted how many states were between you and your hometown?
There there, now, milspouse, Rachel feels your pain. She knows how it feels to realize that suddenly she’s up to her nose in a whole lot of uncomfortable, unappealing adult stuff. But thankfully, she has a friend like Monica, who reminds her that it’s going to be okay.
And guess what – it’ll be the same for you! Even though the “real world” of military life might totally suck sometimes, there’s safety in numbers of a group of friends who’ll be there for you. And, you might even find yourself enjoying the ride with those pals by your side.
2. “Isn’t that just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic?”
Sometimes orders come down, and we simply don’t have anything nice to say. Much like Rachel’s reaction to Ross’ new girlfriend, we find the way to grit our teeth and smile, as we accept our fates to Fort Polk, Minot Air Force Base or Twentynine Palms. (It might involve gulping down a big glass of wine, too.)
The bright side is that, like Rachel, even though the news kicks us where it hurts, with time and a supportive network, we find a way to rise above it and persevere. We could surprise everyone when we try to be friends with Twentynine Palms, but it’s okay if we’re happy to see it in the rearview mirror later.
3. “Do you have a plan?”
“I don’t even have a pla…”
It’s true – sometimes we’re like Phoebe, sitting in our PJ’s, sipping a cocktail, unable to see even two months into the future. And we’re a little unhappy about it.
We know we’re PCSing, but where to? Or maybe we know where, but the assignment is remote, with little employment opportunities. Or maybe we’ve followed every opportunity that’s come up over the years, and now we feel a little lost in the hodge-podge – what makes me “me” anymore?
It can be rough to feel like we don’t have a “pla.” But, like Phoebe, we don’t let hopelessness overtake us. Even though life isn’t fully mapped out, we can pull on our positivity pants (which we’ll totally rock, because we’re Phoebe), tap into our resources and figure out how to design our own plan.
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