Military Spouses Are Like Sea Glass

One of the best things I love about the military lifestyle is meeting new spouses all over the world, and even more amazing how those relationships return full circle even many years later!

As I was thinking about those I’ve encountered over the years I realized that they are like sea glass. They come in many different forms. All are each on their own journey and have been shaped and molded through their experiences, just as the sea glass is smoothed and shaped by the sand and the sea. You never know where you will find sea glass, and the same is for amazing connections with other military spouses. I can’t even count the times when ‘by chance’ I’ve met someone who I have been connected back with sometime in the future.

I’ve found friends in the BWI airport, while stressed out and flying/traveling with a super fussy baby. I’ve found friends walking my kids to school, or even living next door. I’ve also found friends by volunteering, going to work events with my husband, and even through friends of a friend. I’ve found them in highs, and I’ve found them in lows. I’ve found them when I was looking for them, and I’ve found them when I wasn’t expecting them. You never know when the next one will be ‘found’ and enter your life.

Another thing about these amazing spouses we encounter is that like the sea glass they are precious treasures to enjoy, each one unique offering something valuable to our lives. They are also resilient like the sea glass, being bounced around, thrown thorough rough seas, but come out beautiful and refined on the other side. I have also found these spouses to be invaluable, even past the season of their discovery. We put them in our vase of ‘sea glass’ (or friends and connections) and are able to call upon them (and they on us) whenever we may need them! Plus we are always collecting new ones along the way, we can never have too many friends and connections spread throughout the world. I’m also happy to share my invaluable finds with each other when paths may cross. While it might seem best to keep these ‘precious’ finds to ourselves, I have found how rewarding it is when we can share them with others.

As everyone knows we ‘were’ headed to Aviano in Aug, which we all know has been changed. Before that all changed Mr. B MPS’d (Military Postal Service, which is free from overseas bases to other overseas bases) a black trunk with his gear to a friend at Aviano. And how did I acquire this friend? Basically she seen me post on the Aviano FB page and realized that we were stationed at the same time in Misawa, and that Mr. B had been her hubby’s instructor at ALS. Then we also realized that we had a connection with pursing doula work, me being certified and having worked in Misawa, and her now getting certified in Aviano. So she offered to help if we needed anything with the move, as amazing military spouses do. He sent the truck and BAM, diversion, so now she is going to get our trunk when it arrives and mail it to a friend in Spangdahlem.

I LOVE, and I mean LOVE the fact that we have friends and connections ALL over the world! I mean we had NO idea we were being diverted to Spangdahlem but low and behold as soon as I found out I knew our friend, Hazel, was there!

And it was on this street in Misawa that we met over a roll of toilet paper, and were neighbors for our time there. So I reached out to her and she immediately started providing me with TONS of info that I so desperately crave when we are getting ready to PCS. I’ve posted the links she’s shared over on my PCSing to Germany page.

And the story gets even better. While they will be leaving shortly after we get there, boo, they will be headed to the States where here I just happen to have a great friend here from that area! A friend here who I met through volunteering as a Key Spouse, something that I wasn’t sure I wanted to take on, but if I hadn’t I wouldn’t have met my amazing friend. So now I’ve set them up to email back and forth so information can be provided and questions answered. I’m more than happy that I am able to in turn help my friend get info for her move! While I wish I had info to offer her, I don’t so I’m sending her to the best source possible 🙂

These are just a few examples of the amazing things that can happen when military spouses connect and discover each other along the way. I know I’ve never walked by a piece of sea glass and not picked it up, so I try to have the same mentality with the spouses I meet. To look at them as a rare find that can enhance my journey or maybe I can enhance theirs, but I won’t know unless I step outside of my comfort zone and say hello…or offer someone toilet paper ;p