Girlfriend Status

Everyone hears of the Marine Wife,
Her trials, sacrifices, and devoted life.
She is strong, she is brave, and she is loving indeed,
Standing by her man in his time of need.


But what of others in a similar situation,
Who have made being a Marine girlfriend their main occupation?
They suffer many of the same trials and many of the same fears
Without the security of future years.


Will there be peace or will there be war?
You try to be hopeful but it's hard to ignore.
The world seems to be falling apart
When to a Marine you have given your heart.


Your love runs too deep to escape from it now.
You hope to be together somewhere, somehow,
When his duty is over and your life can begin.
You wonder if it will happen but don't question when.


The many heartbreaks and times you did weep
When he made promises the USMC couldn't keep.
But you have learned so much together and come so far.
Others warned you not to fall in love but you already are.


His job is ever-changing and takes him far away.
You think of him always and pray every day--
For his safety, his courage, and his love for you
That he may remain steadfast, loyal, and ever true.


Nothing is sure and nothing is set in stone...
Except that he will leave again and you will be alone,
Holding tightly to your dreams of a future together
When you will at last be able to say the word "forever."


Tears have become anything but a stanger.
They fall freely in sadness, loneliness, and anger.
But he will never know because you will never tell.
You've learned to hide your misery only too well.


A few years? That doesn't sound like so long.
The letters and phone calls keep your love going strong,
Even when they are few and far between,
In them, his love for you can clearly be seen.


So keep your chin up and a smile on your face.
He is protecting your freedom and keeping you safe.
His heart is strong and his love is true
And don't ever forget that he is missing you too


I definitely didn't write this, so if you have any criticism about it, I'm not your gal. I simply stole it off of Facebook.

I didn't take to Marine Girlfriend easily. I took to civilian girlfriend very easily, but when we added Marine, I got thrown off track. It had nothing to do with me not wanting the boy to join or anything at all like that.

I have always felt that I am below wives and fiances being just a girlfriend, even though I realize that they started out as girlfriends, too. Is our relationship any worse than a married couple because we're just dating or just boyfriend/girlfriend?

No, of course it isn't. It's actually probably better than some married couples. We are no less than any other relationship. We have many of the same struggles and even a few different ones. We don't have kids so there is no raising them alone. I do face the struggle of dealing with people that don't understand or don't agree with it. I am just a silly girl dating a Marine as far as they're concerned.

This has changed recently. I made the choice to embrace what I am. There are many days to come that I can be a wife. Or a fiancee. I'm not either of those right now, but I am a girlfriend. And a darn proud one at that!

The other day I took my car in to get my oil changed before I left for Florida. The customer service guy was inquiring about why I was driving so much and I told him that I was dating a Marine who was stationed in Florida. As I was leaving he said, "Thank you for everything you do." It took me a second to realize what he meant when he said that.

And then I just smiled. Because maybe, just maybe there are people out there who appreciate the girlfriends.