Sometimes, a setback, delay, or failure turns out to be the greatest gift. It can be exactly what we need, even if it doesn’t feel that way in the moment.
Story Time
My son’s carefully laid-out military plan seemed straightforward: basic combat training, advanced individual training (AIT) to become a combat medic, Airborne School to master parachuting, and finally, a dream assignment to Italy. The timeline pointed to a December 10 arrival in Italy. I think I was as excited as he was—Italy!!
But life has a way of rewriting plans.
After completing basic training, my son faced an unexpected hurdle in AIT. A tough exam, under the supervision of a notoriously difficult drill sergeant who was having a tough time himself, resulted in an entire group of 80 soldiers—including him—failing. The setback was crushing. My son, along with others, was “recycled,” meaning he had to wait for another unit to catch up before finishing his training.
While this felt unfair and disheartening, it became an opportunity in disguise. He made meaningful connections in his new unit (while maintaining the tight bonds created with the previous unit), learned from fresh instructors, and stepped into leadership by helping others catch up. For our family, the delay gave us extra weekends with him—precious time we cherished, knowing he’d soon be off to Italy for three years.
Lessons in Flexibility
After graduating AIT, he moved directly to Airborne School. This intense three-week course had its own challenges, compounded by bad weather and mechanical delays. What was supposed to be a precise schedule became a test of patience as jumps were canceled or rescheduled repeatedly. The soldiers pushed through long days, uncertainty, and frustration, exemplifying resilience.
I flew to Georgia so I could watch at least one of his jumps and attend his graduation. Watching brave men and women leap from planes and gracefully descend was awe-inspiring. One of those leaps became a literal trial for my son when another soldier landed on his chute, “taking his air” and causing a rapid descent. Their training kicked in, they maneuvered through it and both landed safely. Lucky for me, they were so high up I didn’t know it was my son until after the fact!
The graduation was delayed and simplified due to all the setbacks, but the moment I pinned his Airborne wings on him was unforgettable. It carried even deeper significance, as my son’s late grandfather, also an Airborne combat medic, had jumped on that very field decades earlier.
The Greatest Gift
Delays pushed his departure for Italy closer to the holidays, and then something phenomenal happened. Instead of flying directly to his assignment as planned, due to all the delays along the way, he was allowed holiday block leave. He had been told all along that he wouldn’t get this 2-week time off due to the timing of his graduations and report date. But here we were.
As a direct result of the delays and setbacks, he was able to come home for Christmas. We shared this holiday together, a gift I didn’t think was even a remote possibility. To top it off, we ended up on the same flight from Georgia back to Texas—yet another gift.
Shifting Perspectives
Setbacks can be frustrating, even heartbreaking. Yet, sometimes they place us exactly where we need to be. They teach us patience, build resilience, and, occasionally, surprise us with gifts we didn’t know we needed.
Life rarely goes according to plan. But those twists and turns might just lead to moments of grace, connection, and unexpected joy. Next time you face a delay or detour, take a moment to wonder: what gift might be waiting on the other side?
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