I Get It

I get it.

I get the halfway panicked breathing that's always coupled with wide eyes and almost hysterical giggles. Everything is just short of pulling apart. I've watched several spouses look around as they've explained their situation and I've seen the same thing. How do you hold together two lives when most of the time you don't know what's going on in the one that's not yours?

I get it.

I get the depression that sinks you down right before he leaves. Because you know no matter how hard you hold on time will always roll slowly forward and eventually that last night will be gone and he will be gone with the sun.

I get it.

I get it because I now have experienced it.

I do not pretend to know everyone's situation. I do not pretend to know how to fix every situation. But I can tell you right now something I've learned from watching other spouses deal with the same emotions that I do.

You are not alone.

Sometimes the best remedy is someone looking at you and saying "I understand". I have a good friend who told me exactly that the first time I encountered these feelings. At that time, her validation was all that I needed. Now, as I sit here waiting for morning to come and take my husband with it, I can think about the other women I have seen and know that I am not alone. But not only am I not alone, I know that I can make it. I can watch those around me rise to the occasion and do what needs to be done despite the hardships they go under. I know that with such great examples to watch and to lean on, I can rise as well.

I will not say that people are invincible. There will always be good and bad days. I am proud to know that I can look around me and find friends who I can help and who I can support while they find their feet and I am completely confident that in my hour of need, they will do the same for me. Because in that time when we've been through a day that just hasn't seemed to go right for whatever reason, we can look at each other and say "I get it."

And for the moment it takes us to stand back up, it is enough.

Go Army Wives.