If You're Not in Love with an Airman

If you're not in love with an airman, you can never imagine the hole in your heart when that phone call comes. "Honey, I am leaving tomorrow to go overseas. I don't know how long I will be gone or exactly where I am going, but I want you to know that I love you - always!" You don't know the anxiety that comes with not knowing any specifics until it is already happening.

If you're not in love with an airman, you don't know what it's like to say that final good-bye, to watch those buses drive away and wonder if you will ever see him again. You don't know what it really means to be glued to the television watching CNN. You don't understand fear and you can't possibly understand the sleepless nights of endless crying wondering if you will ever see the love of your life alive again.

If you're not in love with an airman, you can't understand why a computer must always be on full volume just in case. And why it is necessary to have one of every messenger... because you will never know when MSN messenger might work and Yahoo wont, or vice versa.

If you're not in love with an airman, you don't know the best brand of webcam and all of the features by heart and recommend them to everyone you know. You can fully utilize all of the emoticons on every messenger and even know the hidden ones on yahoo.

If you're not in love with an airman, you also won't understand the importance of always having access to a cell phone charger. Or having that special ringer for "unknown" and 13 digit phone numbers.

If you're not in love with an airman, you would never understand the bond that instantly forms with any woman you see wearing anything battalion-related.
If you're not in love with an airman, on the nights where we all come together and talk for hours about nothing but our men, and how even those little things that annoyed the crap out of us a few months ago are the things we miss so much. And then compare ideas on how to keep them... "entertained.

If you're not in love with an airman, you can't know the immense joy, the uncontrollable smile, or the butterflies in your stomach when you see your soldier march into the family waiting area upon redeployment or the end of basic training. You can't understand the self-control it takes to stand on the other side of the room as some higher-up gives a seemingly endless welcome home speech while all the soldiers stand in formation. You don't know what it's like to have that second first kiss or what it's like to experience puppy love all over again. You spend hours and hours getting ready so everything is in perfect place, just to have your hair ruffled and everything tousled up with that first embrace.

If you're not in love with an airman, you can't truly understand how to make every moment count because you never know when that phone call may come again. You don't understand why a secret bottle of cologne is kept in the medicine cabinet, or his deodorant left on the bathroom sink all year, just to smell when you want to feel closer to him.

If you're not in love with an airman, you can never really understand how very delicate life is! You don't understand how fast one phone call, or a knock at the door can instantly change life for so many people.

You don't understand why the National Anthem will forever be something that we will STAND for and probably well up in tears, no matter where life takes you after the military.