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Everyone who has served in the military has no doubt gone through periods of time – days, weeks, months — when they can think of a million different places they’d rather be, and a million different things they’d rather be doing.

Now, there’s no way to compare being ordered to sit on your couch and watch TV all day to being ordered to patrol hostile territory in 100-degree heat-carrying 75 pounds of gear. Obvi.

But civilians who’ve never been deployed are being forced to deal with a few things our military service members already know very well.

Many thanks to Task and Purpose for compiling this list.

 

1. First and foremost. You’re able find the humor in all of this, the darker the better.
2. You’ve figured out how to deal with long, empty hours.
3. You lose track of what day it is, without freaking out about it.
4. You can wear the same thing, day after day, and be okay.
5. There’s nothing to do but work out.
6. You’ve got a huge collection of movies downloaded
7. You’ve already learned how to clean your tush when there’s no TP.
8. You’re well accustomed to having most of your quality time with loved ones “virtually” on What’s App or Skype.
9. You’re stuck being with the same people day after day.
10. You already understand what “going crazy” really feels like.
11. You have deep love and appreciation for wi-fi because you know how much it sucks to be without it.
12. Wearing “Mission Oriented Protective Posture” (MOPP) gear is no big deal.
13. You distrust people who are outside your personal compound.
14. You start growing facial hair (or wherever hair grows where you don’t want it) and turn it into a competition with your friends.
15. You’re not too bothered by uncertainty and lack of information because you’re used to being kept in the dark and fed sh*t like a mushroom.

 

There’s no doubt we’re all going through some weird times. But we’re all going through it differently.

We came across this post by an anonymous writer on social media which sums it up really well:

I heard that we’re all in the same boat, but it’s not like that. We’re in the same storm, but not in the same boat.

Your ship could be shipwrecked and mine might not be. Or vice versa.

For some, quarantine is optimal. A moment of reflection, of re-connection, easy in flip flops, with a cocktail or coffee.

For others, this is a desperate financial and family crisis.

Some who live alone are facing endless loneliness. While for others it is peace, rest and quiet time with their mother, father, sons and daughters.

A few weeks ago some people were concerned about getting a certain candy for Easter baskets while others were concerned there would be enough bread, milk and eggs for the weekend.

Some want to go back to work because they don’t qualify for unemployment and are running out of money.

Others want to kill anyone who breaks the quarantine.

Some parents are at home spending 2 to 3 hours a day helping their child with online schooling while others are spending 2 to 3 hours a day educating their children on top of a 10 to 12 hour workday.

Some have experienced the near death of the virus, or have already lost someone from it and some aren’t sure if their loved ones are going to make it.

Some people don’t believe this is a big deal.

Some have faith in God and expect miracles to occur. Others say the worst is yet to come.

The point is, we are not in the same boat. We’re going through a time when our perceptions and needs are completely different.

Each of us will emerge, in our own way, from this storm. It’s very important to see beyond what appears at first glance.

Not just looking, but actually seeing.

We’re all on different ships during this storm, experiencing a very different journey.

Stay safe!

R.E.D. – Click to visit Nine Line Apparel’s Remember Everyone Deployed collection