As we prepare for my husband’s upcoming deployment, I am never more cognisant of the value of applying the principles which I share with my readers on a regular basis. Life is a journey of peaks and valleys and if you only hope for, focus on and remember the peaks then you will have a life only half-lived. The beauty of the journey is in between those memorable moments, in the gaps filled with our ordinary every day existence. That is where the laughter, the love and living occur. Life is about growing, moving forward and stretching ourselves to become so much more than we thought we could.

It is with a heavy, but pride-filled heart that I approach another chapter in our family saga. It will not be our first deployment or separation, but it will be the longest and right now it seems an eternity. If I am being totally honest as the date draws near, I can admit that the apprehension, fear, frustration and self-doubt grow as the date approaches. We (and by that I mean me mostly) hear the incessant chatter of; “What if something goes wrong?”  “How can I ease my children’s pain of separation?” “How will I manage the house, the kids, the bills, the repairs all by myself?”  “How will I deal with my loneliness, fear and anxiety?”

The answers are; things will go wrong and I will fix them; I cannot ease the pain only encourage and comfort; I do not have to manage on my own; I can ask for help. There will be times when I am overcome by feelings of distress. I will have my little break-down and get back up and in the game. There is no other option.

We've survived this before - A difficult goodbye

So I will make the choice to be grateful for the experience that forces me to develop and expand further than is comfortable, to learn and feel more than is imaginable. Yes, I will be lonely and apprehensive, mentally drained and physically exhausted; but I will also be proud and joyful, capable and triumphant, thankful and loving.

For the next 6 months I intend to occasionally share my experiences, thoughts, feelings and lessons throughout this journey so that it may not only ease my isolation, but also provide hope and inspiration to others(military or not) who are going through similar trials.

Stay tuned, it will be interesting…

Bad things happen in life and dark days are far too many. However, it is those times when we need something to be grateful for the most. It is so difficult to be thankful when in sorrow or despair, but if we remember that circumstances are transient and life is ever changing, then perhaps we can adopt a  ”this too shall pass” frame of mind and be thankful for the better times that are sure to be around the corner.

On this day, I am grateful for the lessons and gifts that I acquired both throughout his life and death:

• Be responsible – Say what you mean and do what you say; if you make a promise, keep it; if you start something finish it.
• Always do your best – Anything worth doing is worth doing right, work hard and take pride in your accomplishments.
• You are your best judge – Don’t worry so much about what other people think of you; do what you think is right, live how you want – never mind keeping up with the Joneses.
• Family first – Your spouse and children are always your top priority; not work (although you must provide for them), not friends or relatives. The rest of the world matters, but is a distant second to family.
• Don’t waste time – Time is precious and too brief; work efficiently and take time for fun; talk with your loved ones, play with your grandkids, have coffee with friends, enjoy your pets and take pleasure in nature whenever possible.

I invite everyone to post and share thoughts, experiences, gifts and lessons –whatever you may be grateful for. We will both inspire and be inspired in return; laugh, cry and lend support to each other as we seek to enrich our lives and the world around us.