My response to AirforceWife's "The Meaning of Sacrifice"

Her beautiful editorial can be found here: AirforceWife's The Meaning of Sacrifice

I'm not going to bother to read the Sisk article, because I woke up feeling great today, and I don't want to spend the time it would take of me to respond, nor will I permit that indignity to interfere with my day. I do want to compliment you on your response, however. It is beautifully written and I think it portrays at least the essence of what military families feel.
I'm a retired soldier, as well as an Army wife, whose Sapper just made his 20 years. We chose this life, knowing full well there is sacrifice, but more than that, we chose this life BECAUSE OF THE SACRIFICE. Because this sacrifice gives to our lives something bigger than ourselves. Life meaning, which cannot be belittled by the purpose of "receiving a paycheck," among other things. I must state also that the 20 years I spent in uniform does not even begin to compare to the OPTEMPO my Sapper has been experiencing these past 8 years. I used to think we had it good compared to our grandparents who did not hear from their service mbers for years at a time during the early wars. After all, they didn't have satellite phone, Yahoo Messenger and web cams, and the most extraordinary postal system in the world. But I think this is all relative to the time. Their hardships and benefits were relative to their life experiences and demands. Our hardships and benefits are relative to our life experience. You cannot truly compare them because the variables are not the same. Really, it is like comparing apples and oranges. Never-the-less, people like Sisk are here for a purpose also. I have to constantly remind myself that I would have this life with my Sapper (which now includes PTSD, TBI, both our bad habits and a lifetime of emotional baggage) over any other life without him. And when I'm feeling negative, low, or depressed, it is people like Sisk and you, Airforcewife, who give words to our emotions about what Sisk wrote, who get me back on my personal bandwagon, return me to my personal place of spirited determination, and remind me of my higher purposes. Just because the OPTEMPO has changed, that doesn't mean our lifepurpose has changed, and sometimes, yes, I whine, and I need to be reminded to keep my eye on the ball-that ball that was our life purpose.