Divorce's Loving Betrayal
Sometimes circumstances bring a very bitter taste of devastation. I want to share one of those experiences with you, an experience that literally felt like a punch in the gut. It was one of those rare moments when emotional pain turned into physical pain. Even now, I'm shocked at how I reacted.
A long time ago I had two friends that were perfect lovers. They oozed love for each other. They had beautiful children. Every communication between them was loaded with admiration and enjoyment. Life was wonderful.
Then, abruptly, life changed.
Read more »Labels: divorce, family, marriage, parenting
Politics in the Home
I have fond memories of my childhood. Living in a home where I was loved and cared for by great parents was a wonderful blessing. I had a roof over my head, a warm bed to sleep on, and all my needs taken care of.
Some of my earliest memories are of my mother rocking me to sleep in the rickety rocking chair while singing "You Are My Sunshine" or "A Little Birdie in the Apple Tree". I remember her rubbing my legs at night when I had growing pains and my bones ached.
All of these positive memories perhaps lead to the sense of betrayal I had when my mother refused to tell me who she was voting for. In the earliest election I can remember, probably for George Bush Sr. she straight up refused to tell me her vote. At first I laughed, thinking she was joking. When she persisted in not wanting to tell me, I felt somewhat slighted, and then a little hurt. Why wouldn't my mother, who loved me, and sang to me, and comforted me in the middle of the night when I was in pain - why wouldn't she tell me who she was voting for?
I think part of me felt if she couldn't confide in me to tell me who she was voting for, then she must not love me and trust me as much as I thought. It might be twisted, but that's how my mind and heart perceived things.
Imagine my surprise when I came home last night and my wife said to me, "I decided that I wasn't going to tell you who I voted for?" Oy vey! I'll leave out my reaction and let you readers guess how I dealt with it, but this leads to a question. Do you tell your spouse who you are voting for? Did your parents refuse to tell you their vote?
Labels: conflict, marriage, politics
