I was 20 when I enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy and was incredibly proud to serve my country. You know and expect that there will be an element of discipline, structure, traditions, physical training, and potentially long periods away from your loved ones. Despite a lack of sleep and very tough physical exercise for the first year, I absolutely loved it! I was doing what I had always dreamed of and could still connect with family and friends whenever I wanted.

You can prepare for the discipline and physical side of Military life. Still, it wasn’t until my first deployment that I experienced the loneliness of being away from my loved ones. Even though surrounded by my amazing shipmates and loved my work, I couldn’t ignore just how lonely I was. From being able to call them at any time to not speaking for weeks on end, it was difficult, given how close to my family I was. The constant connection had been broken, and I felt alone.

Weeks passed, and then a tiny and unexpected thing happened that instantly made the loneliness disappear. It was a care package from home with all my favourite treats and handwritten letters. It might have been small, travelled thousands of km, and took weeks, but it was such a simple thing that let me know that they were still there and thinking of me. From such small things as a little box of chips, lollies, and letters, the family connection was back, and I was no longer lonely.

No matter the size or circumstance, the power of human connections reminds us that we are never alone!