Are you superstitious? Then, Friday the 13th is a day you might dread! For those who grew up in my generation, the movie “Friday the 13th” made more and more people fearful of this day. Not me (though I doubt I’ll go camping on that day). I consider broken mirrors, walking under ladders and open umbrellas inside safety hazards, but not all that unlucky. Blowing out all your birthday candles at once? I didn’t even have the right number of candles on my last cake; I’m livin’ on the edge! I’m also not scared of black cats. I have one at home that’s crossed my path for nearly 15 years.
However, there is one specific military spouse superstition I find to be true:
When your spouse is deployed, what can go wrong, will go wrong.
Expect the worst and hope for the best when your spouse is deployed or on a temporary assignment. A stomach bug will claw it’s way through your family’s insides.
The toilet will overflow and you’ll find yourself without toilet paper or a plunger.
When your spouse is deployed, the boiler will go out, and you’ll not know who to call.
The smoke detectors will go off in the middle of the night, and you’ll find yourself scavenging the house for a nonexistent 9V battery.
Both cars will need to go into the shop, but your kids will still need to get to school and activities. Oh, and your kids have practice at the same time. At different locations.
When your spouse is deployed, grandma and grandpa live an ocean away. This is a game of survival ’til your spouse arrives. Without his or her help to provide solutions and a second set of hands, you’re very much on your own.
I’ve had plenty of these moments, but what here’s another superstition I have:
People can create luck and good fortune by changing their outlook on life.
This seemingly irrational belief in supernatural influences leading to good or bad luck may not be widely accepted (or maybe it is).
Nevertheless, I believe that by creating positive expectations and diligently working to pry open the door of opportunity, its is easier to focus and grab onto good fortune that might come my way.
Good and bad fortune can befall anyone. The last time my husband went TDY (working away from home), we had a car rental because both cars were getting worked on. I was trying to finish up a masters class while staying committed to something I volunteered for at my children’s primary school. Certain deadlines for work/internships were also looming. The cat lost a tooth and the twins got stung by bees/wasps more than once. Yes, our cat of 15 years had a tooth just fall out. It was a crazy couple of weeks! But that’s what makes life interesting, right?!
Instead of giving into the frustration, it is best to take one challenge at a time, if possible. I find things are more manageable when I create an action plan. That said, a flexible attitude allows me to tackle anything that comes up unexpectedly. Having Motrin, band-aids, antihistamine, batteries and a check-list handy also helps! The point is, a military spouse must be prepared for anything… especially during deployments and temporary assignments!
It may just be as simple as this…
“Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity.”
