On: Saying Goodbye

On Tuesday one of my closest friends checked into a new duty station. The Marines did this to prep him for his upcoming year long deployment to the Middle East. You would think, being married to the Marine, I would be used to this, but honestly, you never get used to it.

I've known my friend, the Captain, for a long time. Almost as long as I've been with the Marine. Our friendship has withstood living on different coasts and in different countries. In fact the last four months have been the only time, aside from when we first met, that we've even been in the same state.

It's funny how you can start relying on a person in a different way when they live down the street from you, and not a world away. His moving away, while not any different than the previous years of friendship, is harder this time. He won't be joining the Marine and I for late night Wii games, where we find out we're only smarter than a fifth grader when we work together. He won't be around for the Munchkin to chase and make funny faces at. In fact, not too long from now, he won't be just a text message away.

That's okay though, he's doing what he's supposed to do. What's he's meant to do, and I couldn't be more proud of him. This is who he is, and I wouldn't change that for anything.

Doesn't mean saying goodbye was easy, or that I won't miss him. I always will, because that's what being a friend often entails.

Have you ever had to say goodbye to a friend? I'd love to know your story.

R.S.

On the Shortness of Life

Since September 11, 2001 our country has been at war. Thousands of people have lost their lives, and the military men and women as well as the Country as a whole understand the dangers in the Middle East. What many don't often realize is how dangerous the military's job is even when they're stateside.

According to this article, early last night four Army helicopter aviators died during a training exercise near Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington State.

They weren't inside some Middle Eastern country, they were within the borders of our own.

Yes, I'm sure they knew the dangers of their job each time they set foot on a helicopter, and though I didn't know them personally, I've known many like them. They did what they did each day, and loved it. It was who they were.

That doesn't make the loss any less severe for the  families and friends of the four pilots, or the family and friends of any person who dies unexpectedly.

I wish more than anything there was a way to guarantee the safety of our men and women during training, but there's not.  

This holiday season while everyone celebrates the joy of being together, we should all take a moment to realize how short life truly is.

Take a moment and thank those military men and women you know, not just for the sacrifices they've already made, but for the ones they could make.

My heart goes out to their families and friends.

May the aviators rest in peace.

R.S.