Waiting: A Documentary Opportunity – #141

People all over the world spend a lot of time waiting for other people or things to happen.  I believe that some people spend their whole lives waiting and then look back at the end of it and wonder why they did that or, even sadder still, don’t ever realize what could have been.

Military life is all about waiting.  I didn’t know that when I met and then married my husband.  I imagined it to be like when you see it in the movies, you are waiting for him to come home safely after a deployment (that I, foolishly, believed happened once or maybe twice in a career).  Military life is not like that.  It is filled with waiting – waiting to hear if you are posted, waiting to hear if you are going to experience another deployment, waiting to hear if they are safe through the deployment, waiting to see if they are damaged after the deployment, waiting to hear if they will be promoted and then your life will change again, waiting to see if your children adjust, waiting to hear from family and friends that don’t live anywhere near you, and so on and so on.  No one told me about the waiting.

I am an impatient person by nature and waiting isn’t my strength.  Military life has brought me some peace with patience. For me, it is what you do while you are waiting that will make the difference to your quality of life, your sanity and that of your family’s.  It is why I write these blogs, books and develop resources.  I want to give people the opportunity to wait differently. I have learned so much about myself during “wait times” and have even ended up being surprised when I enjoy them.  I want this for other military families so that they are not ‘waiting their lives away’.  We spend enough time waiting in line, waiting for phone calls, people to show up, for appointments, etc.  When you are in a military family make the waiting not just count but worthwhile and fun.

There is now an opportunity to be heard!  A Toronto film maker is looking to do documentary on waiting and would like some stories from military families…

The Waiting Room chronicles our attitudes, behaviours and cultural values attached to waiting. Through peoples’ stories and interviews, the documentary examines  the profound effect waiting has on our lives and gives us a front row seat in the world of waiting rooms, as we meet the people in them and follow their unfolding stories.  

For the documentary, Makin’ Movies award-winning director Maureen Judge would like to talk to women and men  who spouses are deployed overseas about what it is like for them waiting for their spouses to return home. The documentary is being developed in association with TVO and the National Film Board of Canada.

Email: waitingroomdoc@makinmovies.tv

Tel: 416-516-1833

Makin’ Movies website: http://www.makinmovies.tv

For more information about our blogs, books and resources go to: http://www.whileyouwereaway.org

To submit a tip of your own, write to: Megan@whileyouwereaway.org

Filed under: Military Family Support - Tips from the 101 Tips books, Re-integration Tips, Teen Tips, Tips for Educators and Deployment Support Workers, Up-coming publications | Tagged: documentary, family, makin' movies, Maureen Judge, military, the Waiting Room, Waiting |