Stepping into life after military service has been its own kind of transition—quiet, unfamiliar, and sometimes lonelier than I expected. For so long, friendships were built quickly and easily because they had to be. Now, in a world that moves slower, I’m learning to open my heart again, to be vulnerable, and to seek the kind of deep friendship that doesn’t come overnight. It’s a journey of rebuilding connection, rediscovering who I am, and trusting that the right people will meet me where I’m at.