Inside the Narrative

My son Tyler and I throughout my military years. In the last photo, he’s pinning on the Legion of Merit at my retirement ceremony. Twenty-five years filled with some of the hardest seasons to find balance. For twenty-five years in the military, my days rarely moved at a leisurely pace. The job came first. That was the expectation, spoken and unspoken. As I took on more responsibility, more people, and more consequences, it became even easier for my own needs, my family, my relationships, and my health to slide into the background. There were seasons where it felt normal to sacrifice everything else for the mission. At times, it even felt necessary. The truth is that some moments in life  do  deserve the front seat. A looming inspection. A crisis at work. A major test in school. A family emergency. Life is full of chapters when one thing requires almost everything we have to give. That isn’t a problem on its own. I used to think the danger was in those intense seasons. Wha...