Being deployed means giving up certain things we all expect and everyone understands. Time with the family, holidays, significant milestone events, those sort of things… they are all part and parcel of being a deployed serviceman.
But then, there are those things that not too many people probably think about. Things that make life so much more worth living. Things that might mean something to us that might not mean much to others.
This year I missed Rush playing at VA Beach. Is it a big deal? Well, if you know me you know that a Rush concert is as close to a religious experience as it gets for me. The last time Rush played a show in or near my place of residence was in the 90’s. Since then, I’ve had to travel significant distances to see a show. Once I flew from Japan to LA. Once I was living in Hawaii and had tickets to a show in Miami but couldn’t go due to an exercise in Bridgeport. Last one I saw, we had to travel to Washington DC for.
Plus, considering they’ve been touring for 40 years, every tour is potentially their last one.
Also, I was not able to watch a single game of the NBA playoffs this year. Big deal? Well, the Miami Heat are poised to repeat as NBA champs. That hasn’t happened for a Miami franchise since the Dolphins pulled it off in 72-73, when I was but a wee lad. This is one of the strongest NBA teams ever assembled, and it represents my hometown. And I missed the entire season.
It appears I also missed the opportunity to visit a dear friend who lives far from us, but was in the vicinity this week visiting family. Very demoralizing.
I missed the first summer in our new house, to include the first blooming of the gardens that came with it – one of the major reasons I bought the house. I also missed the snow we had earlier this year – my wife’s first time ever seeing snow. That means I missed out on some good fireplace time as well.
I missed “The Office” series finale. Huge bummer.
I’m going to miss some of the next NFL season, but not all of it, thankfully. I will also be home in time to see Magnus Carlsen take on Vishy Anand for the world chess title, so that’s a good thing.
I won’t miss the holidays, but I will be gone for both of our birthdays this year.
These are just some of the things I think about out here – things that are nice about being home… things that I look forward to being able to do without a second thought after I retire.
Enjoy the little things, folks.
The Mischievous Unknown 
Is sure going to be nice when you come back home, we’ll get to enjoy the snow together and maybe even the fire place!
Boy did you miss a huge last night. Although I suffered so much watching that game that maybe you lucked out lol
Ha! I love the italics…Mari SAAAAAIIIDDDDD lol
Right when the game went into overtime (which I knew because I kept refreshing the score on the ESPN page), I had to go to a meeting. What a way to have to walk away from that.