DAY 112 / MAR 21

DAY 112 / MAR 21

 

Please note: When I refer to a Soldier as a "he" I really mean he or she – just so everyone understands that I'm not making any disparaging remarks about female Soldiers.

 

I have been away from home for 112 days.  I have learned that it is harder for the families

back home to live with this time that their Soldiers are away from home than it is for the Soldier.  Yes, the Soldiers suffers physical hardship, danger, loneliness and endless drudgery, but it is truly their families that suffer worse.   The families suffer physical hardship: doing the work of two alone; endless stress from the usual day to day events – school programs, conferences, homework,   every day, without reprieve.  They suffer the loneliness like the Soldier does, but their suffering is compounded by the suffering of their children and neighbors, which they also bear on their shoulders.

 

            The Soldier is in constant danger from mortars, bullets, bombs, terrorists, and a portion of the "civilian" population that works on their base during the day, and launches attacks at night.   He knows when mortars are falling, or bullets flying and only fears them at that time.

            The Family is worse off in that they KNOW their Soldier is in danger, but have no real idea of how dangerous it is at any given time.   The IDEA of someone they love being in danger of mortars, bullets, bombs, etc is worse than the actual reality of them.

            The Soldier is lonely, he misses his family, his wife and children, and his home everyday, but can always remember them as they were when he left.   Time stops for a deployed Soldier – every day is like the last and tomorrow will be the same as today (for the most part).  There are no weekends, no breaks, and no changes.

            The Family misses its Soldier, but time doesn't stop for them.   Every day life goes on, the kids go to school, get report cards, go to classes, etc etc etc – time doesn't stop for them, life goes on with the family.  Living with the time is worse than having it stand still.   The concept of how long their Soldier has been gone weighs greater on them than it does the Soldier who views his world in a stasis.

            The Family must deal with other families going through the same extreme level of stress and must also deal with the equally frustrating fact that NOT everyone else is going through it!   Especially when OTHER families get their Soldiers back!  Regardless of whether or not THAT Soldier has been gone a year, the family that doesn't have their Soldier harbors a quiet jealous hatred for the family that does.

 

There are many more reasons why Families have it worse, and you don't even have to look very hard for them.

 

 

 

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All in all a quiet day.  Nothing happened.  Nothing blew up.   Another success.