To infinity … and beyond!

At one time, that phrase was nothing more than the signature phrase of my son’s good friend Buzz Lightyear. Over time, it has become our family thing to say after “I love you” or to cheer after “We can do this!” 

During one deployment, we had it engraved on a dog tag and sent it to daddy for Father’s Day. There’s no doubt that by receiving his “We love you … to infinity and beyond!” dog tag, dad was reminded that we thought he was the BEST and there would be no deployment too far away or too long that went beyond “the beyond.”

It was fun to have this phraseology with which my young son could identify. But what was funny, really, is that at the time I had no idea why the expression rolled so easily out of me. I found I embraced it for reasons more than just because it made my son smile.

After thinking about “why” for awhile, I decided that I believe it summed up for me my attitude in life. Thinking beyond the finite is how I dared try to be a Soldier; it has helped me brave being a mom, and it is how I endure being a military wife.

Infinity is “a dimension or quantity of sufficient size to be unaffected by finite variations.” Where did I get this attitude that left me unaffected?

My earliest examples were “men in uniform,” my dad and uncles. I remember travelling cross-country to at least one military graduation when I was young. It was the first connection I made between “home” and “away.” Military service expanded one’s world beyond the horizon. Hearing stories of Okinawa, being on the President’s service, and guard duties at Gitmo confirmed that for me early on. And my uncles probably didn’t even realize I was paying attention.

Later in life, another man in uniform, my future husband, demonstrated how joining the military could bring one beyond childhood. I will never forget the day I heard David had joined the military. That boy!? The one I had my eye on for so long? He cemented his place in my heart overnight by becoming a man: selfless, decisive, and far and beyond the other boys I might otherwise have been paired with.

Those are just two examples. I had been paying attention, and I learned—through my family at least—that the military opened doors, fostered excellent attitudes and character, and was a way to honor where you were from and who raised you up.

Putting all that on paper or in a book, in a way that spoke to people who didn’t have the same examples I did, was very enticing to me. While other book ideas probably would never peak my interest, this one brought to Tara and I by Kathie and Holly seemed to echo all I have been saying since I said, “I do.” and “I will….”

Military life has been good to me, my family, and many friends. It was such an experience to highlight the reasons why we love it. Even moreso, it was wonderful how it remained true to my lifestyle form by reaching not only 1,000 reasons, but also going beyond to find one more reason to reach the total 1,001.