I am about to be in a one- year married life. Being an soldier’s wife is like having a struggling journey day by day. I need to stand as a single parent to our child and at the same time as a mother as well in school. I know it is part of being a wife and a teacher but still, there are times I keep telling myself that I must survive.
Yes! Its true… Being an ARMY WIFE is also a job in itself and can be very difficult. Deployments prove challenging and army wives meet the task of holding the family together, standing by their husbands, and managing the myriad routine responsibilities of everyday living, such as home and career. There will be times of sadness and uncertainty but they must always be prepared to seek professional help as a way of coping with the stress.
All strong women with a good sense of the importance of friendship, love and appreciating the time they have with their husbands, who are often being deployed in other places for months or longer, must understand their husband’s work. Although all army wives handle deployments differently, they all have one thing in common. An army wife would say that it’s her friends, family, faith and fun that gets them through. She has her own individual way of keeping busy and facing each day with her head up, ready to take on the challenge.
Some wives do not really have any idea what their husbands do for a living other than the job title and were the husband works. Army wives however, have more intimate connection with their husbands’ employer– the Philippine Army. The army is usually a key player in the family.
So why did I marry a soldier? Maybe it is his courage and patriotism. Maybe it is that strong self-confidence he radiates. Or maybe it is how handsome he looks in his uniform.
An army wife has decided to throw in her lot with a military man.
At times, I feel if I cannot carry the burden of life because I feel I am alone most of the time. However, the baby I am now carrying with both hands and both shoulders who smiles at me all the time, makes me appreciate the life I had chosen with the man of my choice. Sometimes I am afraid because my husband’s life is always in danger but my faith keeps me going-knocking in me and holding my strength to trust and be loyal to him. And the best support I’ve received is from my fellow army wives. There is no one else in the world who can understand the pain and stresses of these deployments and dangers. Whenever I need to vent, cry, complain, I just call one of my army wife friends. I know I can always count on them.
Moreover, it is hard to balance my time sometimes but I know God is guiding me throughout the day. I am still very thankful and glad because I met an army man who is responsible, caring and loving, and I have a child who makes me appreciate every morning of my life. There are people around who keep telling me that life is tough but I know that all I need is to face it with a smile. I have learned how to deal with emotional pain and stress in ways that I never knew I could.
To be an army wife is something really special. This job is not for just anyone. Army wives are one of a kind. It is hard to be an army wife because of the distance but do you know what’s interesting about it? It is the challenge between us to strengthen our bond, our vow and the love that we have for each other.
(Written by Mrs Cornelio, a High School Teacher and the wife of Cpl Wilden Cornelio. They were married on February 14, 2012 in a military wedding ceremony at the Charlie Company Headquarters in Himamaylan City. This article appeared in Ang Kalis- the Company's official news-magazine, 2012-2013 issue)
