COLUMN: More than a military girlfriend
My boyfriend is gone 93 percent of the time.
That’s not an exaggeration, it’s a fact. I did the math.
He’s a marine primarily stationed in Virginia, though he just completed a three-month deployment to Cuba. I’m a college student here in good old Michigan.
In 2010, we got to spend 25 days together. Yeah, it’s not ideal. But don’t hold your breath waiting for me to continue with tears and heartbreak. Actually, I’d rather complain about all those whiny, needy girls who don’t shut up about their “Military Man.”
Don’t get me wrong here, I do love and miss my boyfriend. But I just don’t feel the need to make multiple status updates on Facebook each day about long-distance misery and missing him.
Every once in a while, sure, I admit to posting a quote about long-distance love. And reluctantly, I will fess up to getting into “Here Without You” by Three Doors Down if I’m having a down day. But ladies, everyday? That’s too much.
First of all, having a constant update about your boyfriend and missing him is like having an update about every meal you eat. Nobody really cares about either of those things and, eventually, people will start to think that’s all your life revolves around.
Occasionally, you can write about the fantastic cupcake you ate, but if you do it constantly people are going to start to think you don’t do anything but chomp frosted pastries.
Just like occasionally you can talk about missing your boyfriend, but if you do it every other breath people will realize you are a needy girl with no life outside her relationship.
I have a U.S. Marine Corps sweatshirt and an “I Love My Marine” key chain his mother bought me, though sometimes it’s a little too cheesy, even for me.
But I don’t introduce myself as a marine girlfriend like I’m some hero and it’s some big accomplishment.
There is more to me than my marine boyfriend and our long-distance relationship.
I have family. I have friends. I go to school and work at the paper. Heck, sometimes I even have time for hobbies.
In April, Levi will deploy for seven months and my world will continue to function without being completely thrown off its axis. I will continue to live my life.
And if I ever stop having my own life and list my occupation as a needy, dependent “Marine Wife” and nothing more, please have my loving “Marine Husband” take me out back and shoot me.
