1. God
I have always enjoyed writing, but up until
I was twenty-five everything I wrote was for class assignments. It wasn’t until Randall deployed for the
second time that I realized the kind of writing I enjoyed the most—inspirational
writing. In the midst of grieving my
husband’s absence, I would come across a quote or bible verse, or hear a song
on the radio that would somehow apply to my life and would encourage me to
think positively about my circumstances.
I began to write short essays based on these inspirations and how they helped
me get through the tough times. I
e-mailed these essays to my closest family members and posted them under my
notes on Facebook. I was not expecting
the number of people I would reach and how much others would enjoy my words. I soon realized that my desire
and ability to write is a gift, a special talent I can share with others. Through writing, I can take what inspires me
and reach out to other people who may be going through similar
difficulties. Since I began writing the
essays, I have continually felt something pulling me to keep writing, to make
it something more permanent. My problem,
though, was not knowing exactly what I wanted to write about. I knew I wanted to inspire, but I couldn’t
figure out if I wanted the inspiration to come from my experiences as a
military wife, my passion for being healthy, what I have learned about making a marriage great, or the trials and tribulations of motherhood. For a few years, I quietly contemplated and
listened for that voice, the one telling me to write, for an answer. I knew who’s voice it was, and I wanted to
make sure I listened closely so I would get it right. One day, when I was tired of feeling a
loss of identity from being a stay-home mom, I decided that I was going to
create a job for myself. My job would be
to write. My writing would be directed towards
military wives. I would write to inspire
them to embrace the lifestyle upon which they have embarked. After my decision, I immediately felt a sense
of ease come over me and I knew I had heard the right answer. Why it took so long to hear, I do not
know. But God has his plans. He finally spoke, and I listened.
2. To share what I have learned through my experiences
Military wives share many
similarities in what they must deal with in their lives, but every wife’s
interpretations are different. We
interpret the events in our lives based on our feelings, fears, beliefs, values,
past events, and the list goes on.
Two wives whose husbands are going on the same deployment are experiencing the same situation, but will interpret it differently based on the individual
variables in each one’s life. There will
always be a wife who is moving along just fine at the same time as another wife
is struggling. I think it is extremely
important that military wives share their experiences and interpretations with
other wives. By learning how other women
deal with similar circumstances, we can build on what we already know and
become stronger as a result. As women,
it is easy to appear strong on the outside but be torn apart on the
inside. Chances are someone we know has
been in the same boat and has gotten through it. I have been so blessed with the nature of my
circumstances thus far in that none of them have been debilitating, but there
have been several times when I was greatly discouraged and in need of a helping
hand. I am hoping that I can use my experiences to lend a hand to someone else
who may need it.
3. To share the things that inspire and encourage me
4. Therapy
A few days ago, something very
exciting occurred to me. I have been
writing this blog for six weeks, and for six weeks I have been sleeping better
(I haven’t slept well for four years!), have experienced less anxiety, have
been able to stay focused on the positive side of things, and the feeling of a
loss of identity has diminished tremendously.
I think part of it is that I simply don’t have time to think about
everything that bothers me because I’m too busy writing! But it is also my therapy. When I am writing, I am calm. I am thinking clearly. I am trying to find ways to inspire others,
and end up inspiring myself while I’m doing it.
If writing ends up being a career for me, then I will have one happy
life because it will be like getting paid to meditate! I do hope to have a writing career someday,
but for now this blog lends me enough to work on. If I touch even one person’s life with my
words, then I am happy, and happiness is
nature’s medicine. To all of my readers
who have commented and expressed how my writing has helped you, thank you! You, in turn, have helped me more than you
know!
