Tag Archives | military

When and How Do We Speak up and Become Involved

By on March 12, 2012 in Change, Life

Over the last week, most of us have become aware of the “Kony Video,” and the surrounding controversy. The question is what do we do about it? Over the weekend my 19-year-old daughter, who is away at college, asked me what I thought about the situation. This stirred me to look and think. If this has gotten the attention of our youth, then it is deserving of ours.

After doing my research and giving serious thought, this is how I responded:

“My take is both good and bad. Anything that brings awareness to atrocities in the world is a good thing and kudos to this group for getting our younger generation involved in concerns of our world. Apathy is our greatest threat and they are trying to change that. That’s very positive.

The bad… This issue is not as simple as presented. There is a lot more to the story. The situation is evolving. What is the role of the government of Uganda? How are the donations being spent? Why does this deserve more attention than larger scale atrocities? Is military action the best solution? Should we be trying to fix the world when we have horrible problems at home? When is it ok to spend our money, use our influence, and risk our soldiers? Lots to consider…

So what do I think? The best thing you and your friends can do is to become knowledgeable about all of the atrocities taking place throughout our world and what is currently being done about them? Also, get informed about our own problems, the number of homeless, hungry, violence, damage we are doing to the earth and how we are spending our money. Remember that media is often propaganda; good or bad…do your own research and form your own opinions.

I’m pleased and proud of you and your friends for paying attention to something larger than yourselves. It’s the only thing that will save our future.”

In case you haven’t been following the situation, below is the video we are speaking about and a link to some good information about the larger controversy. It’s a jumping off point, to get us thinking.

Here are several articles on The Huffington Post discussing other aspects - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/kony-2012-controversy.

What are your thoughts?

Share|
Comments { 0 }

Time Plays Tricks on You

By on February 25, 2012 in Life, Stress

Why is it, when you’re waiting for something big and exciting, time passes soo slooowly…?

It’s like the last few days before Christmas when you were a child, or the last days of school. The last week before a long-awaited vacation is often the same. Ugh.

The end of a military separation – I would imagine any separation – always take forever to pass. Maybe it’s because you aren’t sleeping and it just seems like the days are longer… Only a few more days until Mr. Soldier gets home.

And just in time too! I forget if I took my pills, forgot to eat lunch, can’t sleep. I did remember to take a shower, but I don’t recall any of it. There is not enough coffee in the world. Geez…I’m not sure what happened to this organized, focused woman.

Almost done…and then I can sleep for like 24 hours

Share|
Comments { 0 }

There Are Skeletons in Every Military Wife’s Closet

By on February 10, 2012 in Deployment, Life, Stress

In my experience, there comes a time in each military deployment or separation, and I would imagine in some civilian ones as well, when the specter of frustration and resentment rears its ugly head. It’s time to bring this skeleton out of the closet and expose it to the light of day.

This usually occurs mid-way through the separation. The beginning is too fraught with sadness and anger at the necessity of deployment and the end is overshadowed by excitement and anxiety of over the impending return. But the middle drags and drags and with the incessant challenges and demands of parenting and juggling home and family and marriage become a huge burden.

The last couple of weeks, I have been feeling the slow creep of resentment building. He has one thing to do while he is gone, just one. This time it’s training and sometimes, it’s working in a war zone. I am left to struggle and juggle with 20 balls in the air, and no break.

I know, I know, sometimes he is in a modicum of danger, though is never on the front lines. And he is always lonely and misses us. I didn’t say it was rational, just how I feel at times. Honestly, I would never trade places. Being away from my children and grandchild would be unbearable to me…But I would love just once to only have one thing, just one thing to do.

I a recent phone conversation, we were talking about our weekend plans. He is deciding what to do on his days off and how to fill the time. He made the mistake of asking what I planned to do on my days off….I very calmly, at least relatively calmly, reminded him that, I DON’T GET A DAY OFF!

I have a career, a home to maintain, and children to raise. There are not enough hours in the day. When I have days off from my “regular job,” there is cleaning, laundry, mom taxi, grocery shopping, pet care, and children monitoring and so on.

Ok. Done venting. I love my children and my husband and my home and my life, but just once I’d love to only have one thing on my plate in a day…

Probably I’d be bored…

Enhanced by Zemanta
Share|
Comments { 2 }