When you look at your own social media accounts, what do you see? Your accounts likely feature your accomplishments, adventures, or your “good side.” Even if you’re posting something funny, tragic, or “real,” you put thought into what exactly you want others to see, right?
It’s 100% curated.
A year is a long time. As I reflect back on my husband’s year long deployment, there are a few things that I found to be deployment lifesavers:
When I meet with individuals seeking support at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Hope For The Warriors, located in Jacksonville, North Carolina, I truly understand their situation. I’ve been there!
I’m the outreach manager for the clinic, which offers mental health services for post-9/11 veterans and military families. In February, our clinic also started treating active-duty service members.
Currently, our services are provided virtually through Cohen Veteran Network (CVN) Telehealth face-to-face video therapy across the state of North Carolina. When pandemic restrictions are lifted, we will also offer in-person sessions in our newly renovated 5,300-square-foot clinic in Jacksonville.
It seems difficult to get people to agree on anything, but with some degree of certainty, no one would disagree that 2020 has been a difficult year. And difficult is probably an understatement.
We’re in the middle of a crippling pandemic, which has resulted in job losses, plummeting incomes, and overwhelming stress and anxiety. Post-9/11 veterans and military families have been hit especially hard by the hardships and stresses of the year.
The holiday season isn’t always joyful for all. It can be an especially tough time for many veterans and members of the military. And then along came 2020, and things became even worse, adding more uncertainty and anxiety for all.
We know, we know—the holidays are supposed to be such a special time for everyone, but that’s just not the case.
I could not have done it alone.
The first time I ran a half marathon was a doozy. Living in Georgia at the time with two young kids, I felt a long way from my time in the Marine Corps when “fit” was my middle name. I was determined and, thankfully, so was my battle buddy.
You have a few days left with your loved one before they head off to basic training (or boot camp). You’re bummed because the daily phone calls and visits you’ve become accustomed to will be on pause for a while. and then you wonder what your relationship will look like while you are apart, possibly for the first time ever.
You reach for your loved one’s hand and pull them to sit down on the couch next to you. You sigh. I really don’t want to talk about this, but I need to know what to do.
Join Caroline as she says “see ya later” to Army Wife Network. She has been an incredible member of this team and we will surely miss her. Listen to Caroline’s story with AWN and how AWN has encouraged and empowered her. While we are sad to see her go, we are excited about the next chapter in her life!
Military life is hard enough, and plenty of us know that, but this season of life is particularly hard due to COVID restrictions.
It’s more difficult to make friends.
It’s more difficult for our children to find friends.
Many of us have already found out our kids will be doing virtual schooling in the fall, while others await a decision.
And some of us are holding on to that last strand of sanity, preventing ourselves from falling apart simply because we have to keep on keepin’ on.
This is how life goes, even though this might not feel like living.
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