I always told myself that I would never get involved with a man in the military. I could never imagine getting attached to someone whose job would require them to be gone for long periods of time. That’s nothing but self-torture and only a person asking for a broken heart will consciously date a military. Well, here I am…in love with a man in the Navy, and boy does it suck. When I met my boyfriend on Tinder I told myself not to get too invested, because sooner or later he will have to leave.
Two months into us dating, sure enough, he received orders to go overseas. He’d be gone for six to nine months, and by then I was already knee deep in love with him. He came at a time in my life where I wasn’t looking for anything serious and I was content with being single for the time being. How dare he come into my life and show me what a man is really supposed to be like, right? I fell for him like people fall into a good sleep, slowly and then all at once. The night before he left he just held me and I had never felt so safe and at peace. I knew I was in loving arms.
Source: Giphy
All I could do while he slept was think and watch him. Earlier that evening, he told me that he would understand if I wanted to see other people, and the only thing he asked of me was to give him the opportunity to win me back when he returned. I said nothing in the moment because I’ve never been with someone so genuine until he came along. I woke him up in the middle of the night and told him I would wait for him…how romantic right? Yeah, whatever I didn’t know what I was getting myself into.
Although I do not regret the choice I made now almost six months ago, it’s getting harder and harder everyday. What no one tells you is that there are so many restrictions and complications that will test the strength of your relationship, sometimes it’ll seem like you’re constantly fighting to make it work. Things like time differences overseas, their twenty-four hour shifts, little to no communications, the good weeks and the bad weeks.
Source: Giphy
I almost feel like I’m in the military like I signed up for them to control my life. I didn’t, but what I did sign up for was the person I love and I have to constantly keep that in mind. It’s like he’s almost home, I’m counting the days down and the days are going by slow as fuck. This experience has been very emotional nonetheless and it has to be something that you’re emotionally ready for.
Don’t get me wrong, I truly believe that my relationship is something worth all of this and more. However, I’m not going to sugar coat things and make it seem like this is an easy breezy situation. It takes a lot of mental and emotional strength that I didn’t know I needed to get through this day after day. If you are to take anything away from this, take this…a love worth having will not always be easy. You won’t always be in the cupcake phase of your relationship when dealing with someone in the military and you have to be ready to make some sacrifices big and small if you want to be successful. Whoever you decide to be with, be willing because anything worth having has to be worth the fight for you, that goes for any relationship not just military, long-distance, everything.