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Wonderful Woman of the World

By Debby Richardson

We sometimes need our own little cheering section! Most people do not know what we go through on a daily basis, and also what we endure while our husbands are not around. So, here is your own little cheering section (from me) for a job well done, ladies!

What sets us apart from the other women in the world who are not in this industry is we, as truck drivers' wives, know that we can handle most any situation. Situations such as raising our kids, mowing the lawn, paying the bills, etc., while our husbands are on the road. This has taught us to be strong women--women who know that if anything (God forbid) happens to our husbands, we are able to handle life's situations ourselves.

We are the wonderful woman of the world that most people do not see. This is especially true when we are talking to people who don't understand our lifestyle. They ask us what our husbands do for a living and when we tell them, "A truck driver," they snoot their noses in the air. They do not know how hard we all work on the home front to keep things running smoothly and how hard our husbands work on the road to keep America rolling. They do not see the wonderful women we truly are.

Have you ever noticed how stuck up non-trucking industry folks can be? When you're standing in a grocery store line talking with others just to make time go quicker, they automatically ask what your husband does for a living. You tell them that he is a truck driver. Their attitudes automatically change. They may shun you when at first they were nice to you before finding out what your husband does for a living.

This I cannot stand. I just haul off and tell them off. This is what I say to them when they shun me like this, "Well, lady (or sir--whoever I am talking to at the time), if it weren't for truck drivers out there on the roads, your buggy would be empty. Who do you think brings your food, clothing, lumber, cars and the everyday things you need to live? My husband and many more like him--that is who."

We as woman of the trucking industry have the right to fight back when people are like this. We need to set these narrow-minded people straight as to what our lifestyle is really like, how hard we really work, and how our families are the backbone of America.

We as truck drivers' wives work hard everyday behind the scenes of this trucking industry. We are the women of the world who keep this world going smoothly without our husbands at home, without others knowing who we are, without taking recognition. We stand behind our husbands no matter what.

My hats off to all of the truck drivers' wives of the world.

A Trucker's Wife is a column that is written by a different guest writer each month. If you would like to share your thoughts and feelings with other homefront spouses email us at imatruckerswife@layover.com .