thearmysdaughter

Time to break down Thearmysdaughter.
Being a daughter is an absolute honor, I regard it as an important core in my life. It's unchanging. I will always be a daughter. I identify with daughter tremendously and on many different levels. Naturally, I steered this endeavor in that direction and ran with it. Sprinted actually, legs and arms flailing, because not only was I born a daughter I was also born lerpy and lanky. But really, my arms stretched out flailing towards this project as if I was trying to scare the crud out of it, before it scared me.

I know who I am, always have.

I'm the product of my parents. At the same time, I am the product of military propaganda. The pro military conditioning has never taken a break, resulting in an effective and even ideal military brat. Hallelujah. I'm cool with that, the part that makes that okay is how soberingly aware I am of it. Even so, I recognize that I choose to love the Army despite it's ups and downs. I've worked through all the nitty gritty, seamlessly arriving to my father's retirement with scarce grumbles (but five hundred thousand headaches). All the while, I believed I was the luckiest that ever lived. Which brings me back to my mom and dad, they are straight up the air that I breathe. No question, think the big huge sigh of relief gust that reminds you how alive you are. That air. Their hand in my life has been vital to my existence. So, I'm their girl through and through.

But.

I'm the Army's too.

You know that saying it takes a village to raise a child? YES.
That's exactly how the Army worked for me. Places and people, units and plane rides, all of it had a significant part in raising me, in addition to my parents. These forces showed me love, taught me something, or supported me one way or another. Unconventional is my normal, people became pseudo aunts, uncles, and grandparents. I also watched my parents embrace and love other Army folk. The idea of community is the most perplexing concept, and I know that my understanding of community is not like many of my peers. I feel like I've overcome something with the people in my military communities, like we have some sort of secret code or private handshake known only within our group.
Being a daughter, to me, means that you participate. You show up to your community functions, you ask people how they are doing, you generate interest and care by being interested and caring. It may seem strange that the woman at the Shoppette could be so important to me, but one of the most inspired lessons I have learned in my life is that everyone has a story, a purpose and something to offer, even if they do just sell you a 79 cent hotdog from the Shoppette a couple times a week.

I'm close knit with my family, but that is not where it begins and ends. I have a widespread range of people I include under that category of family. They're my people, they contributed during my growing years and on. They are my mentors, my maestros, my second moms, etc, and I am more to them than just a student, I know it. I'm their daughter.

The result of this upbringing is a girl who belongs to herself, but acknowledges all the forces that brought her to owning herself. My mom, my dad, my family, and the Army.

This is to pay tribute to people for loving me for free, and to hopefully inspire people to become active in their community, matter to someone. Go to the local football game even if you don't know a single player, get to know the gas station clerk closest to your home. Keep your circle big.

I'm talking about bringing See's candy to the Italian transportation office workers for booking your ticket home, and doing you the huge favor of not making you fly into Paris, France. (My least favorite airport in existence) I'm talking about running in every single 5k that the Morale Family Welfare department puts on. I'm talking about walking the long way to the PX so that you can walk past the salon so that Judy can run out and give you a hug. Show up, be there, let them love you and love them back.


I'm a daughter, I'm my parents daughter, I'm the Army's daughter. Who are you?