A story, my story

Sometimes God redeems your story by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn't become their future. - Jon Acuff

I read this quote today on Facebook and it really made me think.  I have a story that I've been trying to share a particular friend... well, actually kind of with several in different ways... but I'm finding that all I can do is share my story and then it ends.  Those around me have to be willing to listen and learn from it.

  

Part of my story is about deployments, (surprise, surprise!)  and how they effect so much of, well, EVERYTHING.  Everything about us.  How we feel, how we think, what we see or what we think we see, how we interact with others, oh, just everything!  And then also how it can take a very long time to get over it, to get past it.  I don't know if you ever really get over it...  

My DH has been home just over 2 years now and I'm just now getting to where I can look back and see things... see things with different eyes, with a different heart.  As healing is slowly occurring,   I am able to look back and think, "Wow, I was hurting more than I ever knew or recognized."

I want to share my story with others. I have shared my story with others.  Sometimes with others in the same situation just a different time.  And sometimes with others who are close or even just know someone in this situation so that they can see and perhaps have a small understanding of how "we" feel, of how "we" look at or see things, of what is going on inside "our" brains.  

I try to share to my story with those in this situation, just a different time than me, so that maybe they can see how perhaps the deployment has changed their view.  How it can cloud our vision.  Even after it is over!  Sometimes, I think that is even when it is the worst!  But again, all I can do is share it.  I can't make them listen or take anything away from it.  That's the REALLY hard part!