We had been married a few months. My husband and I were
enjoying some one-on-one time, which was a rare occurrence due to his
occupation with the U.S. Army Infantry.
I was lying on the couch and he was rubbing my feet. Ahhh, total bliss. My sweet man looked
at me and said softly, “Hey lover…”
My heart filled with anticipation, preparing for the romantic words that I knew would follow.
“You have great ruck marching feet.”
Um… Thank you? Sigh. This is our personal love story.
For all of you non-military couples out there, let me
explain. A ruck march is a real-life training exercise where these soldiers
fill a pack (aka their ruck) with all of their gear and march. It is equivalent
to literally taking a packed-to-the-brim suitcase, weighing anywhere from 38 to
50+ pounds, strapping it on your back and walking for two to twelve (or more)
miles. On purpose. Sometimes just for fun.
I couldn’t even be upset at my drill sergeant husband’s ruck
marching feet comment. From his perspective, it really was a compliment. When
it comes to our love story, I am thankful for my ruck marching feet.
Why, you ask?
Marriage is like a ruck march, whether or not you are in the
military. It’s a challenge. There are ups, downs, sweat, tears, and moments
that you want to quit. But on the flip side, there are seasons of amazing joy upon
reaching a checkpoint or conquering that “hill” that you have been climbing
together. It’s a workout—but when you reach your destination, it’s SO worth it.
In our ruck march military marriage, desertion is not an
option. Sure, there have been a few occurrences when my husband has had to take
my hand and pull me through a desert. Other times, I have had to remind my
beloved to stop and check the map. (And we all know how much guys love asking
for directions…)
We’ve been through deployments, separated by months of training,
dealt with incredibly long hours, and moved to a new time zone. Our entire
relationship has been one big ruck march. People ask, “How do you do it?” I
really don’t have an answer for that other than God. He is the foundation of
our relationship. God is OUR Commander-in-Chief in this ruck march marriage.
We have yet to spend a Valentine’s Day together. This year
my beloved will be at Ranger school. But I’m ok with that. We love each other
consistently, treasure each other’s company, go on dates and feel inexplicable
joy all year long, not just on anniversaries and holidays. We are crazy about
each other and madly in love with God. He will be the one to help us reach our final
destination in this ruck march marriage. Till death do we part. And until that
point, we will keep on marching. “Left… left… left, right, left…”
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