‘Gasp’ What? There is nothing to be thankful for during deployment.
I believe there is truly nothing done in life without a lesson to learn from it.
Deployments are scary, lonely, tearful, and frustrating times in anyone’s life. A deployment will test your relationship more than ever before and also remind you how special of a relationship you and your spouse have to fight for. Everyday is a great new day, because it is one day closer to deployment being over with.
1. Deployment reminds you which battles to pick
Deployments suck, no matter the length or the amount of time you truly get to talk to your spouse through out the deployment. During any deployment there will be miscommunication and frustrations; picking your battles during those times of miscommunication and frustrations are the key to making a long distance relationship last. As a couple you learn what is truly important in life and what is worth fighting for.
2. Deployment makes you relearn each other’s love language
When you begin any relationship you learn how to read each other’s love language. When you go from being with each other every single day to spending months at a time apart, you have to re-learn how to understand your spouse’s love language once again.
3. Deployment reminds you how strong your relationship truly is.
Deployments put an insane amount of pressure on any relationship and cause so much frustration and stress that it could end a relationship.
Enduring a deployment makes you so much more grateful for the time you have with your spouse and the amount of love that goes into making a marriage work during the times spent apart. You learn that the everyday things are what mean the most.
4. Deployment reminds you of your support system
Throughout any deployment you learn that you can’t do it alone and that’s okay. You need a strong support system to help you through the long nights and the days without your spouse. Relying on other spouses, your children, friends, and family will keep you sane during the stressful times in your life.
Support systems can also be rebuilt during deployment, family members who you may have pulled away from can become a confidant in your most trying days. Look to social media, FRG groups, anything that may let you meet other spouses who are going through the same struggles as you are.
5. Deployment is not forever.
My favorite thing about deployment is planning for the homecoming. The signs, photographers, planning your outfit out and changing it multiple times. It not only changes the whole mood regarding deployment, but it makes the days go by quicker. Not that every time needs to have all the bells and whistles, but at least all your ducks in a row prior to the homecoming.
I am currently in the single digits from seeing my significant other again and I cannot wait. The past six months have been filled with frustration, arguments, love, laughter, and now a common goal, this distance being done with. The thing to be most thankful for is the end of a deployment, and to finally have your loved one back in your arms.