Off topic: To all the spouses left behind

[Guest guest]

To all the spouses left behind, be they male or female. This was given to me

many years ago when I was a Navy wife and I just found it going through boxes

that have been untouched for many years. I think it is time it was shared.

Debbie McNeice

The Military Wife

The Good Lord was creating a model for military wives and was into His sixth

day of overtime when an angel appeared. She said, " Lord, you seem to be having a

lot of trouble with this one. What's wrong with the standard model?

The Lord replied, " Have you seen the specs on this order? She has to be

completely independent, possess the qualities of both father and mother, be a

perfect hostess to 4 or 40 with an hour's notice, run on black coffee, handle

every emergency imaginable without a manual, be able to carry on cheerfully,

even if she's pregnant and has a flu, and she must be willing to move to a new

location 10 times in 17 years. And, oh yes, she must have 6 pairs of hands. "

The angel shook her head, " Six pairs of hands? No way. "

The Lord continued, " Don't worry, we will make other military wives to help

her. And we will give her an unusually strong heart so it can swell with pride

in her husband's achievements, sustain the pain of separations, beat soundly

when it is overworked and tired, and be large enough to say, 'I understand,'

when she doesn't, and say, 'I love you,' regardless. "

" Lord, " said the angel, touching His arm gently. " Go to bed and get some

rest. You can finish this tomorrow.. "

" I can't stop now, " said the Lord. " I am so close to creating something

unique. Already, this model heals herself when she is sick, can put up six

unexpected guests for the weekend, wave good-bye to her husband from a pier, a

runway or a depot, and understand why it's important that he leave. "

The angel circled the model of the military wife, looked at it closely and

sighed, " It looks fine, but it's too soft. "

" She might look soft, " replied the Lord, " but she has the strength of a

lion. You would not believe what she can endure. "

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the

Lord's creation. " There's a leak, " she announced. " Something is wrong with the

construction. I am not surprised that it has cracked. You are trying to put too

much into this model. "

The Lord appeared offended at the angel's lack of confidence. " What you see

is not a leak, " He said. " It's a tear. "

" A tear? What's it there for? " asked the angel.

The Lord replied, " It's for joy, sadness, pain, disappointment, loneliness,

pride and a dedication to all the values that she and her husband hold dear. "

" You are a genius! " exclaimed the angel.

The Lord looked puzzled and replied, " I didn't put it there. "

Author unknown