There is something to be said for paying attention. Ralph Nichols has been quoted as saying, “The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.”
How many times are you guilty of not paying attention? Do you drive with your cell phone to your ear? Do you drift into daydreaming when you’re at a meeting? Or worse, do you selectively listen to those things you think only apply to you?
Do you consider your volunteer hours “work?” How is value measured in your family?
Recently, I had an encounter with someone who has the opinion that a military spouse who is a stay-at-home parent and volunteers doesn’t “work.”
I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh,
And looked across the table where the bills were piled too high.
The laundry wasn’t finished and the car I had to fix,
My stocks were down another point, the Cowboys lost by six.
If you’re not in love with a service member, you can’t know adventure. You don’t know smelly PT uniforms that require a daily washing. You can’t understand green and brown camouflaged bags flooding your bedroom floor.
If you’re not in love with a service member, you can’t understand the meaning of the phrase “going to the field” and the weeks you spend away from each other.
Mission: Milspouse is a
501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
EIN Number: 88-1604492
hello@missionmilspouse.org
P.O. Box 641341
El Paso, TX 79904