Courage is a word thrown around a lot when your Dad is deployed. They say, “it takes courage to get through this.” When your Dad is such an integral part of your life, there’s a lot of strength and courage involved. You need courage to handle your emotions, as they ebb and flow, and know that they are natural. Some days might be the best of your life, and some nights will have you physically aching with sadness. You especially need courage when having those happy moments- because life doesn’t end when your person leaves. You need to stay strong enough to still have fun and live life without feeling guilt. That guilt can drag you down, and seriously detriment you and others around you, and I know my Dad would much rather be seeing me hanging out with my friends having fun than rotting in my room upset. You also may have to have the courage to ask for help. I’ve learned people can be the light that guides you through the darkness, and they can lift you up through their support and care. Yet sometimes I feel like I have no courage, like my world is falling apart like broken glass. I’ll feel like I’m alone and afraid, and there’s no one who really understands. Not many people talk about the courage of military children. Whether you’re five or fifteen, every child needs strength to survive. We need to have courage to get through the difficulties that most kids around us don’t have to deal with. We need to know that our parents are showing their courage by providing for our country. Through our cries, laughs, and our lowest, we still somehow still find strength. Having courage through these moments has shown me that you can always rise up above your fears and challenges, and that you’ll make it out okay.