Finding Comfort in Community

I am joining Lisa-Jo Baker and others for Five Minute Friday. Lisa-Jo provides us with a word prompt and we are to write for five minutes with "no extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation."

Today's word: Comfort

GO

I was thrown into a new world of being a military family as my husband and oldest son headed off to train to become a soldier and sailor. There was comfort in knowing my strong and fearless husband would be just fine, but sending my son off to begin this new chapter in his life left me in need of being comforted.

Shortly before my son departed I made my way to an online community where connections were made with other moms and a few spouses whose children and husbands would go through Boot Camp with my son. After we said our good-byes to our soon to be sailors, a new friendship began. Many evenings were spent in our online chat world both laughing and crying, but in the end always finding comfort in knowing the roller coaster of emotions was understood.  These women...they were my comfort.

We had nicknames for each other, used way too many emoticons, decided that together we sparkled and couldn't wait for the day we would finally meet.

The day that stands out most is when we were unable to pull away from our computer screens as we chatted online waiting to hear from our sons, daughters and husbands to inform us they were now sailors. Graduation day was only days away. Our hearts were beating frantically with excitement.

When our calls came our online world exploded with delight. We had heard their precious voices and those three words, "I'm a Sailor." For many of us, tears quickly came.

It's been a little over two years since we came together to watch our loved ones graduate and then enter the world as United States Sailors. These ladies remain some of my dearest friends. The comfort we gave each other did not end on graduation day. Comfort is still found when we share how those good-byes never get easier and we rejoice over reunions with our sailors. We all agree the days between are far too long.

What I love is how we comfort each other beyond those difficult moments of being Navy moms and wives...we comfort each other in the daily life. Many times when I post a status update on Facebook the comments found are primarily from these fabulous ladies. They have not only comforted me, they have blessed me.

To these women...you know who you are...I love you with all my heart and I hope one day we are reunited beyond our online world. Until then, I'm grateful that comfort is always within reach.

STOP

{Yes...this went over the allotted five minutes but these ladies were worth breaking the rules.}

There were also some very special friendships made with a few lovely ladies who had husbands and children attending basic training with my husband. Please don't think you were forgotten...five minutes is such a short amount of time. You comforted me greatly during those days, especially once receiving news of my husband's injury and the delay in his graduation. Oh how grateful I am that we were still able to meet. Much love to you all.