A firefighter’s wife took to Facebook with a post about the realities of being married to a firefighter. Her post, reprinted below, quickly went viral.
“Sadly, I feel like so many girls get wrapped up in the fantasy of being married to a firefighter, yet don’t have the first clue what it takes to actually be married to one. You see, for us real wives this is not just a bragging right, a status update, or a chance to wear cute little shirts that say I’m married to a firefighter. Our husbands don’t walk around topless with their bunker gear on like some scene out of the calendar you have hanging on your wall.
“The truth is, being a fire wife is rarely glamorous. It’s extremely lonely nights, followed by long days. It’s having to be mom and dad, even when you know some times you just can’t fill those shoes. It’s trying to convince your family, friends, and yourself, that you are still married even though you have been to every family function and holiday get together alone for the past 3 years.
“Being a fire wife is understanding that even when your fireman is home, his mind may not be. His body may be tired and knowing he truly wants to see his family and spend time with them, but he desperately needs sleep, because tomorrow starts another 24, 48 or for some of us 72 hour shift. Most importantly, its being able to tell when he walks through the door, that last night was just one of those nights. He doesn’t mean to be moody or distant, but he just hasn’t been able to suppress those images or memories of the call he made the day before.
“It is not easy. It takes understanding, compassion and an unwavering love for the man behind the badge. You see we didn’t marry a firefighter. We fell in love with a man who happens to be one.
“If you get in to this life just for the badge, you will never make it. There is a reason there are more ex-wives of firefighters than there are current wives. But for those of us who are here to stay, we would not trade this life for anything in the world. We will take the bad with good everyday, because we know being a firefighter isn’t just our husband’s job, it’s his calling.”
Amber’s beautifully articulated post has been shared nearly 11,500 times since November 2015.
This article, originally published August 2015, has been updated.
