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THE JOY OF LIFE - 07/23/2008
(by Gene Myers - Features Editor - July 23, 2008)
My wife, Sarah, had just broken up with me. I was flabbergasted, almost panicking. I wanted to cry but I didn't want anyone to see me crying.
I wanted to talk about it, but she made up her mind. I looked for kindness in her eyes and found quiet resolve. She left the room to make a phone call.
My mom was in the other room. I found myself wandering there even though I wanted privacy. Then I found myself crying and telling her what just happened. At the same time, I had one ear on Sarah's phone call.
She needed a ride to a dangerous town. Was I supposed to worry about such things now or was I supposed to butt out? She gave some belongings back to me. My heart was broken. This was it. And yet, I was worried about her trip.
I convinced her to let me drive her.
It was one of those dreams that you feel in your chest as you leap up from your pillow.
"Are you awake?" I whispered while my heart was still pounding. She pretended not to hear me as she always does when I should be sleeping.
"Are you awake??" I repeated getting louder.
With my determination clear, she sat up and listened as I told her about the dream I just had.
In the real world I have the privilege of knowing that my wife is never going anywhere. But I still wanted to make some sense out of this dream.
"It was weird. Even though you had just broken up with me and you weren't being nice to me, I kept worrying about you going to a bad area," I said.
She thought about it and came up with a gem that put my mind at ease instantly.
"Sounds like true love," she said. "You want to do what's best for the other person, no matter what."
Her summation hit the spot. It was a bad dream. It felt horrible while in the midst of it. But it also served as a little play set in an alternative universe. I got a glimpse down a path I've never taken. I even learned something from it.
For more of The Joy of Life, visit genemyers.com.
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