The Military Rant

Talk to any military wife, girlfriend, or fiance, and they will all tell you about their "I hate the military" days. We all have them. We all wish our significant others could be closer, safer, in our arms. We all miss them, and worry about them, and everything else expected. However, for me at least, there is more to these "I hate the military" days than just that.

Preface: This does not mean I actually hate the military. I love, support, and honor our service men and women with all my heart. They are all my heroes, and all some of the strongest men and women in the world. We all owe them a lot, and I admire them so very much.

I was speaking to the boy today, and we were talking about his friend's death. I kept insisting that I not cry, and be strong, and deal with it in the same way he has to deal with it: by pretending it doesn't exist and not crying. He finally said that he needed me to be weak because he does not have that option. He has to be strong. If he is weak, then the person next to him is weak, and the person next to them is weak, and that kind of weakness leads to deaths. He said that they make that sacrifice to save lives. He then went on to say that I need to exercise my right to feel. And I need to mourn his friend's death, because he cannot. One of us has to feel, and by me mourning, it is doing justice to the death.

And that is when it struck me. All that is wrong with the military. All that is wrong with this world. To them, crying is weak. To them, loving and mourning are weak. This is wrong. If anyone ever tries to tell you this, I assure you that they are wrong. Love is the strongest thing in the world, and someone who has the ability to love and mourn and miss and cry are the strongest people in the world. Those who have lost the ability to love and mourn and feel are the weak ones. Love is the strongest thing in the world. If you mourn for someone, it means you loved them. If you miss someone, it means you loved them. If you can no longer do those things, you are weak. And that is the military's biggest downfall. They do not understand strength. I do. I mourn, and worry, and cry, and feel. I know that all these things hurt me, but they are my biggest strength. I can feel, and love, despite all the horrors in the world. I can love. And that is my strength. Love conquers all.