Friendships to Last a Lifetime

Being a military spouse is hard. We move, we adjust, and we learn to say "I'll see you later" far too many times. We learn to introduce ourselves and we learn to care for ourselves through various difficult times. We build friendships, and while there are those that come in waves before we move (or before they move), some of these friendships can last a lifetime.

After being stationed at the same location for six years, I have watched my fair share of friends come and go. I have sent my husband away and welcomed him home more times than I can remember now. There are times when it has felt each time I have welcomed him back with a new set of friends. Maintaining lasting friendships can be hard, and our relationships with our spouses can be shaken many times. Here is a list I have created of ways I have been able to maintain my relationships with this ever changing lifestyle:

Remember the Phone Goes Both Ways

There are so many times where I have found myself guilty of letting a friendship fail because I have become too busy to respond to texts or calls. I later find myself wondering why my friend has not contacted me in a long time. It is easy to become overly consumed with technology, but it is also easy to forget to respond to messages. I have made it a point to check through my messages before I go to bed to ensure I have remembered my friends, and if we have not talked for a long period of time, I have found myself sending them a message telling them I am thinking of them.

Surround Yourself With Those Who Bring You Peace and Joy, Not Drama

It is easy to find ourselves surrounded by the neighborhood drama. Stay clear of it and those who bring the drama to you. Trust me. The gossip might seem good for a little laugh here and there, but eventually there is no end to the drama and you will end up stuck somewhere in the cross-fire. No friendship is worth your happiness and peace. \ind friends who bring you joy!

Make Time For Yourself and Your Friends

I learned while my husband was deployed that my friends are more like family than friends. His recent deployment proved to be rather complicated and full of surprises; I would not have made it through the hardest times without the love and support of my friends.

Regardless of When You are Moving or When They are Moving, Make The Connection

We all know we are going to move at some point, and our friends are going to leave us to go wherever the military decides. We owe it to ourselves to build connections with others regardless of the amount of time we will have with them. Some of our greatest friendships begin when we least expect them.

Give yourself a chance to build new friendships, nurture your older friendships, and love yourself more than you ever knew possible.