Not "Just" a Lunch Lady
Woman, Survivor, Veteran, Mother, Dreamer, Pin-Up Girl, and a Heaping Tablespoon of Lessons Learned
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As soon as his son swam away, he turned to me and said, “Don’t tell anyone what just happened. I will be back. Just wait here”. I watched him until I couldn’t see him anymore, then I swam as quickly as I could to the middle of the pool where several people were surrounding me. I ducked down just enough to hide most of my face with my inner tube, peeking slightly above it, so I could watch for him. He returned and looked for me, but he walked away when he didn’t find me. As soon as he was out of sight again, I got out of the pool quickly and went back to where my mom was. It is amazing the little details you remember when something traumatic happens to you. I still remember the swimsuit I was wearing that day. It was a light purple sparkly one-piece swimsuit I borrowed. It took me one entire year to get the courage to tell my mom what happened that day. I remember it like it was yesterday. She and I were at our hometown’s local park, sitting on the big rocks next to the swing set. I couldn’t stand to hold it inside anymore, and it broke my heart to tell her the bad news. Of course, she was very upset and cried. That hurt me even more to see her upset. Even though I was embarrassed and hurt, it felt so good to finally get it off my chest. It was like a huge weight had been lifted. In that moment of time one year before, a grown man decided to do something that would scar me for the rest of my life. That one decision he made caused a ripple effect of emotional and mental issues that would follow me for years to come. I can still see his face in my head. This moment was just the first of many traumatic moments to come later in my life.
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About the Book
What if healing didn’t require a passport? What if all it took was courage, grit, and a whole lot of heart?
In Not “Just” a Lunch Lady, a deeply personal and inspirational memoir, one woman shares her extraordinary story of resilience as a veteran, single mother, trauma survivor, and yes, a lunch lady. With brutal honesty and flashes of humor, she reveals what it means to build a life fully lived. She does this while battling anxiety, depression, and the lingering effects of childhood trauma.
She has called many places home. These range from metal connex boxes in war zones to floating aircraft carriers and peaceful Sicilian orchards. Along the way, she has flown in military aircraft, endured the sounds of mortars and volcanoes outside her window, and forged strength in a male-dominated military world. However, this is not just a story about exotic places or heroic service. It is also about discovering healing in your own backyard.
Not “Just” a Lunch Lady is a memoir about embracing imperfection, honoring your anger, grieving your losses, and refusing to be defined by trauma. It is a raw and uplifting journey filled with insight, mental health awareness, faith, and family. The story reminds readers that hope is the anchor of the soul when nothing else holds you above despair.
If you are searching for a story about motherhood, mental health, military life, or emotional survival, you have found it.
Start reading today because you are more than your title.
About the Author
Hope Smith is a Navy veteran from Oklahoma. She has an undergraduate degree in Business and Criminal Justice and a master’s degree in Special Education. She enjoys singing, songwriting, gardening, and true crime. She has traveled the world, but her favorite place will always be home with her three kids.