According to legend and lore, February 2 marks Groundhog Day, and the prediction of spring.
The center of the show occurs in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania where thousands gather for the annual Groundhog Day ceremony. Superstition says if the town’s favorite ground-dweller, Punxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow – six more weeks of winter are on the way. However, if he doesn’t, the world can look forward to an early spring.
Often, military life can feel like the movie Groundhog Day where a small-town weather reporter gets trapped in a time loop, reliving the same day, over and over again – until he figures out how to break the cycle.
But, if we’re being honest – sometimes life as a military spouse just feels a lot like being Punxsutawney Phil, stuck in a hole and left in the dark.
If the short, dark days of a cold winter, or a looming PCS has you feeling a little anxious and cagey – take heart. As military families, we have experienced several hard-won lessons that would make any tunneling rodent proud.
1. You have become a master at creatively learning how to live in small spaces.
2. You’re PCSing! Just kidding … your spouse’s orders just fell through. You might know something in six weeks. Or not.
3. It’s pre-PCS season and you know orders are coming…but you’re starting to feel so desperate for news that you’d take the prophecy of a large fidgety brown rodent if he popped out of the ground with an update.
4. You finally come out of your post-holiday hibernation – only to realize you’re dazed and confused, your social skills need a good dusting off and you could use a shave.
5. Sometimes, you’re able to see the bright side. But sometimes – life seems to keep blasting you in the face, and you decide your best strategy is to hide, recuperate – and try it again in a few weeks.
6. You’ve just missed the bulk garbage pickup, and can now look forward to 6 more weeks of cardboard.
Stay strong spouses! If you feel a bit stuck, or just caught up in the repetition and daily grind of military life, remember – just like spring follows winter…this too shall pass. Eventually!