Military life can often be lonely. Frequent moves that take you states–or countries–away from your family and friends… deployments… trainings… a scary news cycle that never seems to turn off…
And not only can it be lonely, sometimes people decide to voluntarily detach themselves from people and places. It makes saying goodbye and being far from home less painful. But it doesn’t make the loneliness any better.
Fortunately, for your military spouse friend, you are awesome (because you’re reading this post, and clearly you want to help your military spouse–or significant other–friend). And you want to make sure they know they are loved and remembered. You want to ease their loneliness. This post is for you.
1. Listen
Sometimes you just need someone who will sit down and just… listen. No judgment. No criticisms. No advice. Just listening. If you haven’t lived the military life, that’s okay. You don’t need to have lived it to be able to listen and be empathetic. If you’re not sure what to say, here are a few ideas for you.
2. Send a card
Getting mail is so much fun… and often military spouses are on the sending side of mail, but not the receiving side. Slip card with a handwritten note into the mail for your favorite military spouse. You don’t have to do it for a particular reason… and it’s fun to send a card even if you live in the same zip code. Check out military spouse-owned Hello Rosie Co. for sassy cards and stationary!
3. Share a cup of coffee
Military spouses run on caffeine. (And it’s no surprise why!) If you’re in the same place, set up a coffee date to decompress together. If you’re a little farther away, a gift card or sending the actual java is a great way to do that. Swatara Coffee Co. is a veteran-owned small business that ships gourmet coffee across the US and to APO/FPO/DPO addresses. (I can vouch for its quality– Swatara Coffee Co. is the shop my husband and I opened after John left the Navy.)
4. Surprise them
It might not be a girls’ night out or a trip to Vegas, but bringing over a homemade meal or raking leaves, or simply hanging out after a tough day can mean a world of difference to a military spouse who feels forgotten, especially during a deployment.
5. Gift a box
A subscription box is the perfect way to reach out to a military spouse who lives far away from you. (And it’s a super easy way to do it. You don’t have to remember to do anything– just purchase one box, or a subscription, and set it and forget it!) MilSO Box is one of those subscription boxes, and it is awesome. Every month centers around a theme and offers full-sized products. From spices and candy to notebooks and mugs to specialty items that are branch-specific, all of the items that come in the box are made in the USA and/or are from veteran- and military spouse-owned small businesses. (I just love that!) Use JOMYGOSH10 to get 10% off your order and make a military spouse (or yourself) happy.
6. Babysit
If your milspouse has kids, give them a break (especially if they’re dealing with a deployment). If you’re not physically present where they are, arrange a few hours of babysitting and pay for it. (Make sure you talk to the military spouse first.)
