When the good Lord was creating Navy wives, he was into his sixth day of overtime.
An angel appeared and said, are you having a lot of trouble with this one? Whats wrong with the standard model?
The Lord replied, have you seen the specifications on, this order? She has to be completely independent, must be sponsored to get on the base and have the quality of both mother and father during cruises; be a perfect hostess to 4 or 40; run on black coffee; handle emergencies without a BUPERS manual; be able to handle the flu, birthdays and move around the world if need be on a moments notice; have a kiss that can heal anything from a child's torn valentine to her husbands weary day; have the patience of a saint when waiting for the ship to come in; and have six pairs of hands.
The angel shook her head slowly and said six pairs of hands! No way! And the Lord answering, don't worry, we'll create other navy wives to help. Besides, it's not the hands that are causing the problem; it's the heart. The heart must swell with pride in her husband, sustain the ache of separations, beat on soundly and strongly when it's too tired to do so, and be large enough to say, I understand when she really doesn't and say I love you regardless.
Lord, said the angel touching his sleeve gently, come to bed, you can finish this tomorrow.
I can't, said the Lord. I'm so close to creating some- thing unique. Already I have one that heals herself when she is sick, can feed three unexpected guests who were stuck in the area due to bad weather, and can wave goodbye to her husband from a pier or runway and fully understand that it is important to our country that he leaves.
The angel circled the model of the navy wife very slowly. It's too soft, she sighed.
But tough. Said the Lord excitedly. You cannot image what this woman can do or endure.
Can she think? Asked the angel.
Can she think! Why she can convert 1400 to 2:00 p.m.
Finally the angel bent over and gently ran her fingers across the model's cheek. There's a leak, she pronounced. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model.
It's not a leak, said the Lord. It's a tear.
What for? Asked the angel. It's for joy sadness, pain, disappointment, loneliness, and pride! You're a genius, exclaimed the angel...the Lord looked somberly at the angel and replied I didn't put it there.