An insight to share

 

A  minister friend sent me this story.

He was performing at a wedding.  As he was wrapping up his brief sermon to the people about the rites and importance of marriage, he said he decided to go off-script.  The following is the best I could transcribe what was on the video he sent.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me change course here.  As you know we members of the clergy like our counseling sessions.  I have a total of five I put the bride and groom through, two each individually and one as a couple.  I ask a lot of questions to make sure I am comfortable performing the ceremony.    During the second individual session with the bride, she said something very profound.  Now most all of us here know this is a re-marriage. They were married to each other before.  They divorced seven years ago.  Of course, my concern is what will make this different this time.   Her answer is worth everyone hearing

Let me get it out here, I wrote it down right after she left my office.  It struck me as that valuable of an insight. 

Her: That is a very good question.  Here is how it is for me.  We had issues during the last part of our 24-year marriage.  We had grown apart and at times even hated on each other.  During the seven years apart, I died inside.   I died when we signed the divorce papers, I died inside.  I felt like I had failed me, I failed him, I failed my kids.   It never changed or got better as time passed.  Then one particularly down day it dawned on me.   I had to die inside to be able to live outside.  Once I decided I needed him in my life and I wanted to live on the outside, well, it was like my soul was reborn, reenergize, that it was like springtime in my heart and soul.   I made the decision I wanted to live on both the inside and the outside.

Yes, that sounds kind of hokey to some, but look at your partner, look at your family, your kids, and those you are around.  Ask yourself, have you, they, made this same decision?   Do you want to live on both the inside and outside?  Or, are you willing to stay where you are and die a little inside each day as you fail to live on the outside? 

Now let's get these two married.