Finding Strength…
When Jake left for basic training on September 6, 2011, I thought my world ended. I had no idea how I was going to handle being away from him for so long as well as not being able to talk to him (other than through letters). I cried a lot and felt alone and at times angry that he left. Once the letters started to come from him, things began to change.
I began to realize that I can be alone, I don’t like it, but I can do it. I learned ways to entertain myself and stay busy so I wouldn’t think about how lonely it was without him here. I wrote him letters everyday because it felt like I was talking to him, I stacked pillows on my bed to make it feel less empty, and I prayed for strength and confided in friends. I soon became stronger than I ever was before.
Things have become easier now that basic and MCT are over and he has a phone and computer with Skype. However, nights are still hard without him gone. Sometimes, I look back and realize it has already been 5 months since he left with the Marine Corp…time went faster than I thought!
I think it is easy for us all to get stuck in the sadness of any situation associated with being alone. Most people like being around the ones we love and dread the times we have to be apart from them. But I have learned from this experience that hard times bring a lot of good with them as well. You learn not to take your love ones for granted, to cherish the little moments with them and not worry about all the little things that once bothered you.
I am new to the military lifestyle and I know there are those who have less experience and those who have more. However, I have learned a lot from being away from Jake. It has made our relationship so strong and our love for each other unbreakable. He helped me to realize that there is something good out of every situation that seem bad and for me I found strength.
