I discovered this truth so profoundly stated by C.S. Lewis: “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art .... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” I did not require friendship to survive a seven month deployment. But friendship made the deployment bearable, and not only bearable, but life-giving and sweet, nurturing and redemptive.

The news of relocating came so fast that I didn't even have time to let it soak in. I hit the ground running so fast that I was numb to the thought of leaving home. It wasn't until the unpacking was done and the empty boxes were hauled away that I had time to actually let it sink in. It hit me, I am starting completely over.