I am on the couch patiently waiting to see who Jenny McCarthy finds as her next willing (or unwilling) prospect to kiss at midnight. Time Square sure looks amazing during this festive time of year, despite the red noses that I see across the television screen. Wondering if I would ever face the frigid temperatures that so many seem to enjoy, I yawn. It’s 11:30pm and I fight to stay awake just 30 minutes longer. Then I remember that I am alone this New Year’s Eve. My LEO is working overtime, again.
Reflection
As the New Year draws minutes closer, I start to reflect on all of the things that happened throughout the year. Then I pop open the notepad on my phone and begin to jot down all of my New Year’s resolutions. Despite my full intentions to create positivity for the New Year, I feel a void because my husband is not here with me.
Planning for 2019
What can I do to shake this? I start to think about all that we have planned for the upcoming year. We are taking a trip to Morocco in March. The excitement of this starts to shift my mood. Then I think about the new schedule change that my LEO has in January. This will start to make things a bit different for us, but the new changes also excite me. We planned a deep sea fishing trip for officers in his department this coming summer. Gratitude starts to pour over me as I think about the boys in blue bobbing up and down on a boat, enjoying time off of the streets together.
Business is great. My husband and I have a spiritual practice that brings us closer to one another and ultimately our Creator. My eyes drift to the television and I see Jenny standing next to the same man she was two segments ago. I’ll bet she’s found a face to kiss soon. Fitness and health are a prime focus in our day. We continue to build on the relationships that we have with friends and family. I am so lucky to enter this New Year with such gratitude.
The Countdown Starts
Only minutes away now and we will find ourselves with an entire year behind us. I see the New York Police Department and several assisting agencies keeping the peace at such a massive event. Then I think of my husband and hope he’s not cold, tired, hungry or dealing with anything unplanned. The reality is that he is probably coping with all of those things. He and so many other officers are out there in the late hours just doing their job while everyone around them has a good time.
It’s happening. The ball drops, people are cheering and confetti is dancing all over the sky. Jenny grabs the face of her man of the moment and lays one on him. Immediately my phone dings. It’s my husband wishing me and us a Happy New Year. His appreciative text reminds me of how exciting it is to enter the New Year with him by my side. The loyalty that this man exhibits is evident throughout every facet of his life. He doesn’t know it, but after texting him back, I give my phone a quick peck…wishing more than ever that he was home.
The New Year is a New Time For Gratitude
As we enter 2019, know that at LEO Warriors we are filled with so much love, appreciation and gratitude for all of our supporters. We understand what it means to live a life behind the badge. The sacrifice and dedication that LEO’s and their families endure and accept each day is not a life lived alone. An entire community exists of like-minded individuals who walk this same path.
We wish you love, happiness, success, safety and good health this New Year. If you are going to be home without your spouse this New Year’s Eve, reflect on all of the great from this past year. Then look forward to even greater things in the coming year.
To my dear LEO Warriors, if any of this resonates with you, I want you to know that you are not alone. I think that you are beautiful, you are strong and you are LEO Warriors. Sign up for our newsletter and receive resourceful information that is completely curated around YOU. If you have a writing suggestion, please comment below. Follow us on Instagram and Like us on Facebook @leowarriors1.
