When all is said and done, you have to be okay with what you built for yourself in this military life.
When the orders stop coming & the zip codes stop changing, the foundation you built for yourself and your family during this time of service will be the support for your next chapter.
At age 53 I became a waitress … once again. It had been thirty years since I laced up those sexy (anti-slip) black shoes, tied a polyester apron around my waist, and hoisted a tray of pancakes over my shoulder.
Why now?
I’m fortunate to have a portable career as a high school teacher, but we moved here during the height of the pandemic, and schools in this area were only offering virtual classes. For me, teaching is a contact sport, so I decided to wait it out. My daughter came home from her job at a local diner and asked if I could help out because the diner was struggling to find staff.
I am not sure if you share the same loathing I do when I hear the term “self-care”.
It is right up there with the word “resilience”. I know the two terms are necessary and I know they are a part of our modern, military vernacular. Yet, I just can’t get past the irritation that I feel when someone asks me, “Are you taking time for self-care?”
What does self-care look like to a weathered military spouse? (Sorry, not loving the term “seasoned” right now either).
Everyone has that one friend. The one that you just can’t say no to, the one who doesn’t know any reasons to quit. They talk you into fun runs or volunteering for crazy events and every once in while…
…they get you to do something exciting, challenging, or just plain stupid.
Enter the 75 Hard Challenge.
For 2o years, we watched them go.
They were proud to be American service members,
And we were proud to love them.
Our Nation stood proud as they went to avenge the attack on our soil.
We hung yellow ribbons, sang anthems, and waved flags…
Editor's Note: Before you read "Chapter 2," get caught up on the previous part of the story. Sam sat anxiously on the gym floor trying to disguise what she was feeling inside. She was nervous, she was tired, and she was slightly resentful. She felt like things...
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