Monday, June 14, 2004

MONDAY, JUNE 14th.

Day 400 of CPT Patti's deployment.

Let's let that sink in a minute.

400.

Four-Hundred.

F-O-U-R H-U-N-D-R-E-D.

One wonders: How much does one change in 400 days? What does 400 days apart do to a marriage?

What does she miss that I haven't thought of?

How does 400 days in a war zone affect one's outlook? How about 400 days spent worrying about one who is in a war zone?

But then...perhaps I think too much. I reread this entry from December 30th.
And I learned that spending 8 months without my wife allows my head to fill with notions and ideas that have no basis in reality. I was very concerned about what changes I would see in her, wrought by so long under such stress and conditions. I had imagined all manner of awful possibilities, and attempted to prepare for them.

But there is no appreciable change in her. If anything she may have lost a fraction of the presumption of good in all people - yet she is still far, far from being as cynical as most folks I know. So I guess I learned that the core of who she is is solid...she is who she is, and I'm just delighted about it.

I learned that being married to Time magazine's Person of the Year is a very, very cool feeling.

I learned that my real life with her is so staggeringly superior to my on-line life as a blogger that it is very doubtful I will continue to do this once she safely returns to me.

And finally, I learned that my cousin is right. You just don't forget how to kiss.
Let's hope.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Keep hanging in there Tim. Both of you are doing a great job. Your regular posting reminds us all that families have a huge role in providing morale and support for their loved ones serving abroad. And brings to light the pressures and concerns of those left waiting.
400 days, an amazing challenge for any marrige. I wish you and the good captain well and that your wait is not for too much longer.

Regards
Pete
http://kiwipete.blognz.com/

Right Brainworks, LLC said...

I don't normally comment on my own site, but just wanted to say thanks to KiwiPete for the encouragement.

And...to acknowledge that "KiwiPete" might just be the coolest nickname I've run across this year!