Military Love comes in many forms. We learn to love quickly and with all of our heart. We love our spouses, our friends, our jobs, and our continually changing hometowns. We open our hearts quickly because we know that we do not have years to slowly nurture and develop friendships. There are SO many forms of love. Let me talk about just a few.
I grew up as a military Brat and there were many times that I was not happy when we were told we would be moving AGAIN! The true gut wrenching part of moving was leaving my friends – the friends I had quickly and wholeheartedly bonded with and learned to love. I knew from an early age that I had to dive right into my friendships and get close to my classmates right from the start. No time to slowly cultivate those relationships, and no chance of having a history of shared experiences going back to Kindergarten.
After vowing never to marry anyone in the military–whom do I meet and fall in love with? A kind, handsome and wonderful young Captain in the United States Air Force! Of course, that is who I was attracted to and he is the one I chose to marry.
I love my sweet husband. I never dreamed when I married him 33 years ago that we would go on an adventure of a lifetime and that he would continue to serve in the Air Force for 39 years. My sweet husband taught me so much about service and commitment and hard work and for that (and many other things) I will love him forever.
Yet, this month, I choose to focus not just on my family or my husband, but I would also like to acknowledge the love of good friends. I need and cherish my friends–maybe I need them more now as I get a little older, or maybe it is just that I now recognize the profound importance of friendships.
Friendships are valuable and I choose to honor and encourage those friendships. I have already decided on what Valentine Card I will make and I will send them to about 100 friends both local and around the globe. Even though I have just finished hosting all of my Christmas parties, the planning has already started for my Valentine luncheon. The luncheon is truly a great opportunity to share a wonderful afternoon with new and old friends. We ALL need our friends, and maybe military spouses need friends just a teeny bit more. Our families are not right down the street or around the block–our friends become our family, and that is always something worth treasuring. Friends lift us up, tell us the truth and like us for who we are. Friends are there when you are low and need a hug, and for the celebrations in your life. I choose to show my friends how much they mean to me by hosting events; I want each person who enters my home to know how happy it makes me to have them in my life. I may take it just one step too far, but who is to say what is really “too far”?
So let’s take this month to celebrate all the people we love. Celebrate your spouse, celebrate your family and celebrate all those wonderful friends you have whether they are right next door or around the corner, or around the globe. Remember to reach out and touch them in any way you chose, big or small.
I chose to reach out through this column and thank all of you for your friendship through the years. You warm my heart.
Read Next: The Fate in Our (Military) Friendships