So we are almost half way through this deployment, which can only mean one thing ... the crazy is beginning to creep out. And for me, it seems to be bursting out of the door and jumping up and down on my front porch.

I had a friend tell me that living on a military installation can be like living in a fish bowl, and it really is. We all can see, with our own eyes, who is at whose house, whose husband is home, who never comes out, whose children have lost their minds and - you get the idea.

But through this post experience, I am learning that everyone has different needs through their deployment or non-deployment cycle. We all need to be encouraged through different means, and hopefully, those means do not involve food.

I am learning the art of self-talk. It is nice to have someone around to "talk you off the ledge" when you need it. But what if no one is there? What do you do then?

I will tell you what I do. I stop for a minute, and in my head (not out loud, people will think you are crazy), I say, 'Sarah, think about this. It may not be about you. Not everything on the planet has to be about you.' Then I take a deep breath and start over.

The other side of that coin, in my opinion, is that when we can't "talk ourselves off the ledge", we (including yours truly) tend to say things and do things that are completely outside of our nature. We back bite. We form alliances. This is not life. Instead, it sounds like an episode of Survivor.

While a lot of us can be in survival mode at this point, there are plenty of other ways to survive! Go for a walk. Sit outside in the sun. Do something nice for yourself that you haven't done in a while (a good mani/pedi leaps to mind), but for heaven's sake (and the rest of ours too), take a deep breath and reset.

As a gentle reminder to all of my sweet friends out there, let's bear in mind that we are all (deployed or home) dealing with something. Every day, there's something. Not everyone will respond to your needs and my needs in the fashion that you or I think they should. We all need to exercise a little grace and patience. We all have to remember that it is tough when they are home, and it is tough when they are gone.

I picked Michael Jackson's song this week, because it is one that makes me feel good when I hear it. You will see me dancing and singing in the driver's seat, but the lyrics paint a great picture of how our words (and actions) can truly affect those that we love! Never forget that what is done or said can't be undone or unsaid, and no matter how much we apologize (and truly mean it), it still hurt the other person. So before you speak or act, take a deep breath and start over.

Strength and Courage ... sby