The other war

I was thinking about how hard it is on the family when a loved one goes to war. The parents worry, the brothers worry but don’t say so, the friends all sort of hold their breath until you are back. But it’s the husband or wife – and the children – who pay the most. Not only do they experience the same fear – the same gut wrenching feeling when “five more dead in Baghdad” is announced on the news, but it’s their life that’s changed too. Jack went a whole year without me being there to play ball, or to take him to scouts, or just to watch a movie with him. Anais doesn’t eat and thinks she’s fat and seems to get by on only 3 hours of sleep a night. She has nightmares. And Lisanne has to cook all those dinners for three, and take care of all the chores and run the kids all around – while going to school full time herself. Then she comes back home to go to bed alone.

I am sorry that this has been so hard on everyone. I love you all.