Seems like he just got home and he's off again. That's because he did just get home. Only two days home this round and off again. So back now to juggling life as a single parent for the next few days. Because let's face it, even though I am married, I am also a single parent. But I am not saying this to have you feel sorry for me or anything, it is merely a statement of fact. And, before you get your pitchforks out and chase me down, I know I married a pilot so I knew what I was getting into, not complaining about it, just stating a fact of life.
As my children grow and start thinking of their careers in life, this also makes you reflect on your careers in life. My sweet girl is living out her dream (at least I hope it is what she's truly passionate about) and studying Marine Biology. Hubby of course worries daily that she won't be able to find a stable job with good income after graduating as to some, this is one of those "fluff" type degrees. I then remind him that her actual degree is in Biology, just a marine focus so can do many things with that. Of course I worry too but I want them to be able to take their young lives to explore their passions to find that career that excites them because as the rest of us adults know, there is a LONG time in your life that you will be working and if you don't like your job, it can pull the rest of your life down.
Our boys on the other hand have started to talk about life as a...dare I say...pilot. Now I think a lot of people get giddy and proud when their kids want to take after them. This is another area where my pilot gets worried. Though he loved his career, it is still a job. And when they say this his mind starts racing and for reasons to protect his kids it seem to focus more on all the "bad" of the career than the good. But he is the protector right? It's his job to worry and prepare and since he (and of course I) have lived this, we know all to well how it can be.
But do we really? Actually, no. We know OUR version of how to live this life. This now goes back to what I talked about in the last blog on how two people can be part of the same scenario, but still have a different recollection of that scenario. When we truly started this life journey together, he was not a pilot. OK, let me back that with saying he was a pilot in he had some ratings and did some schooling but was not flying commercially for anyone. He had started it all in college but for certain reasons he decided it was time to stop and move home. Which luckily for me he did or we may have never been re-acquainted.
Now to jump to the beginning of the "us" part. He was doing electrical work as a career when we started our life, but I knew he had this passion for flying still. It was in his family blood (uncle, grandfather, etc) so I knew deep down that this may come back around. He is so smart, mechanically minded and level headed and friendly that I knew he possessed the traits of being a good pilot. Good thing I kept that in the back of my mind. Then that fateful day came when he realized though he also liked electrical work and was good at it, it wasn't his passion.
We had the first "talk" of many as moving and life changes would have to take place and he jumped back into it. So when I say we don't truly know the story of the pilot life I mean, we only know our version of the truth. There are many others out there so we can only prepare our boys for what we know and that's all we can do. But that's really all we can do with all aspects of parenting, arm them with what we know to be and the rest they have to figure out for themselves. The biggest part I can arm them with is this, If you are going to do this and want a family as well (which of course I hope they do) BOTH parties have to be so strong and independent yet truly want to be with their other half. There will be many sad and lonely nights for both sides but many good ones. Have to be a glass is half full type of person I think to truly make this lifestyle work. Funny side-note, he saw a post either on a trip or the Internet somewhere that stated "It truly doesn't matter if it is half full or half empty, there is room for more beer!" When I think about that saying I take it in this direction, you might as well live life to the fullest so fill it up!
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