The Will of the Wife

Military wives, I have concluded, are like flowers.  That is why I have titled my blog “A Chance to Bloom.”  Throughout my seven-and-a-half years as a military wife, I have quietly observed fellow wives, whether friends, acquaintances, or women I don’t even know, and have discovered that as different as they all are, there is a common characteristic present in each of them: the will to keep going.  Despite many difficult circumstances and emotional setbacks, they all continue to bloom, to keep pushing forward past the rough times and becoming stronger women. 

Helen Keller described that “A  happy life comes not in the absence, but in the mastery of hardships.” This quote grasps the life of a military wife perfectly. In the world of the military, it is inevitable that hardships will occur in the form of challenging schedules, frequent moves, raising children alone, or perhaps even the loss of a soldier.  These are not situations that any wife wishes for in her life, but I have yet to witness a wife throw in the towel and walk away.  Instead, they deal with their emotions; they grieve their husbands’ absence; they vent their anger or sadness to close friends; and then they pick themselves up and keep going.  They have a will that gives them the strength to continue on the journey.   Perhaps it is because they know their husbands need their support and don’t want to let them down.  Maybe they are following the example of their husbands' drive and dedication to their country.  It could be that they are just doing what they feel God has called them to do.  No matter what the reason, this will allows them to overcome their obstacles and truly master their hardships.

Every person’s life has seasons.  Military wives are often required to endure tumultuous thunderstorms and long, gloomy winters.  But, as I have seen so far, they have a way of pushing forward and walking toward the break in the clouds.  They keep their heads up and their eyes forward.  And when they reach the sunlight, when their spring finally arrives, they bloom beautifully with renewed strength and joy.  I am honored to call myself a military wife, not only because I am proud of my husband, but because I am a part of an exceptional group of women who have set an example for how to weather the storm.  I married into the military not knowing anything about being a military wife.  But the other wives I have met along the way have shown me how to discover my own will, reach my own spring, and allow myself to bloom.  For this, I celebrate Military Spouse Appreciation Day.