A Movie

A woman, very ill. Divorced. A man there helps, and they have a rhythm between themselves with an undercurrent that is hard to understand, until you learn that...he is her husband.

He came over here because of her, they married, , they divorced, they remained friends.... he is there now, taking care of her in her final illness, baring a real honest to goodness miracle. They probably never should have parted.

Tonight, I was bored, and bought a movie on Video on Demand. As I watched this movie, I found myself in tears, several times. Remembering my own marriage, but thinking of that couple I have been watching for the past few days, as she nears death and he cares for her. He had tears in his eyes as he asked me how long she would probably be with us. It was hard to tell him, no way of knowing, but probably not long.... They have their own rhythm, even though apart by divorce now. They probably should never have parted.

I watched this movie and thought of so many of my friends and neighbors, that say things like... we love each other, but we just can't live together... etc. Before no fault divorce, they would have FOUND a way to live together til death parted them, as did my parents, grandparents, and so many couples before this day and age of 'freedom'.

Grass is greener on the other side of the fence, we think. Sometimes, the loneliness we find in marriage has NOTHING to do with the other person, yet we think that it does, and look everywhere but inside ourselves. The answer could be found there, just as it was in this movie. He had grown accustomed to keeping things inside based on his work (attorney-client privelege) and never gave a clue that he was lonely, etc. Temptation entered when he saw a gorgeous woman in a dance studio window, and he entered, learning to dance at first to just see her, but then, later, for himself. He still kept this to himself.... eventually, as do all secrets, it was found out.

This movie COULD have been horrible... but it wasn't, because he realized that what he had already was precious, and he did not want to hurt that. In the end, he taught his wife how to dance.........I cried almost through the entire movie. I knew how it would end, in a way, but I still have seen so many go the OTHER way, by taking that moment of temptation and giving into it. Then, the blaming begins, and what could have ended beautifully is torn to shreds.

Shall We Dance with Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon. Good. Very good.
A lesson in choosing the BEST instead of the grass on the other side of the fence.



"Right is still right if nobody is right,
and wrong is still wrong if everybody is wrong,"
--Archbishop Fulton J Sheen author of The Life of Christ .



Addendum:
The woman in the first part of this died today, July 13, 2005.
May she rest in peace.

May her family be comforted by His Presence. Keep her son safe. Draw them all close to you, Lord, and shelter them as they grieve. Give Wisdom to Dad as he raises their son alone, and keep the family close for the boy's sake, in Jesus Name, Amen.