It wouldn't be the days leading up to New Years without some cliches. After all, New Years is the perfect time to get a head start on being in the best shape ever, or reading that book you've been putting off for a decade (anyone else planning to finally read Anna Karinina?) or do that other hill of things you've wanted to get around to for oh-so-long ... right?
But instead of all those normal things, this year I'm going to set up a few military resolutions. They probably won't revolutionize my life or lead to a skinnier me. But maybe they'll make me an ounce or two happier with the life I've chosen while being a military spouse -- and maybe, just maybe, they'll help someone else feel the same.
Join in my three military life resolutions, won't you?
I resolve to serve. We're always saying that military spouses serve, too -- but what if we actually lived like that? What if, instead of approaching the FRG as a chore (or, worse, as a way to show off), we looked at it as our own brand of service? Doing so means I won't get offended when they don't want or need my help, or when someone else thinks they can do a better job. I'm just here to serve. It's worth a shot.
I resolve to roll with it. Oh we're PCSing to Germany? In a week? OK then. Oh, you're deploying? Tomorrow? Got it. Because I'm rolling with it (or at least trying to!). All of last year was jam-packed with things I had to roll with. Sometimes I rolled better than others. Having a baby alone = good. Deployment falling through = bad. Maybe that stuff will have been be good practice for graceful rolling into the next year.
I resolve to listen. One of my favorite things about military life is the number of people I have the chance to befriend, who, had I just stayed in my normal-pre-Army-Amy-circles, I would never have encountered. On the surface we have nothing in common. But if I just take 10 minutes I can see that these are the people who can teach me more than anyone else. The problem? I talk too much. And so this year I'm going to make a point to listen instead of talk -- and maybe they can teach me something I never would've expected.
I resolve to serve, roll with it and listen. Let's do them together.
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