Holding On and Letting Go
“... explores the ache of holding on—to dreams, identity, and relationships ... the moments of joy, unexpected community, rediscovered passion ... Her storytelling is lyrical, grounded, and profoundly human ...”
—Corie Weathers, LPC, author, clinician, military spouse
When dancer Lindsay Swoboda marries a Marine, her dream of following her passion for performing collides with the realities of their military life: back-to-back overseas moves, navigating pregnancy during deployment, and creating new support systems again and again.
As their growing family moves around the globe, Lindsay finds both tension and beauty in each new beginning.
She creates a dance program in Korea. Becomes a mother in Hawaii. Morocco offers healing for her marriage after multiple deployments. In Ecuador, a fire, riots, and a high-risk pregnancy remind her there is uncertainty even in what appears to be a peace-filled chapter. Looking forward to being closer to family after nearly a decade away, the Swobodas nestle into Virginia just in time for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seeking new ways to cope with constant change and challenge, Lindsay writes her way through loneliness, self-doubt, and anxiety, and shares the burden and brilliance of each season with a community of friends.
In her memoir Holding On and Letting Go: A Life in Motion, Lindsay unfolds her military spouse journey with lyrical storytelling and sensory imagery, encouraging readers to champion both big and small victories, make space for grief and goodness, and find the courage to persevere.
Cover art painting by military spouse Lindsay Wilkins.