Life. It has a funny way of having things show up, no?
I was minding my own business watching "The Sisterhood" when right there on my TV screen I saw something I once did play out.
One of the Pastor's wives had to pawn her wedding ring to make ends meet.
I too pawned my wedding ring many years ago.
And this caused such strife in the marriage.
I explained over and over how I agonized over the decision and it didn't mean I didn't love him or didn't believe in the marriage. It had everything to do with staying afloat and not going down financially. It had everything to do with making sure the kids were good and our lights wouldn't be cut off. It had everything to do with doing what needed to be done to survive.
I watched this Pastor's wife agonize over the decision, cry and hand that ring over with such a heavy heart.
All those feelings from that very day so many years ago rushed right back.
I had no idea that I still needed to heal from that.
The idea of "telling your story" has been on my heart heavy lately. John Mayer sang the first line of Shadow Days so eloquently, "Did you know that you could be wrong and swear that you're right? Most people have been known to do this all their lives."
Everyone has a story to tell.
It can be the truth or a lie until they believe it to be the truth BUT it is their story.
I am all about truth telling.
I could never understand why someone whose back I had so fully in a marriage would not believe me about the wedding ring and how it was a symbol of our love and marriage but how our marriage was still intact without it.
He could never understand why someone whose back he had so fully in a marriage could not see how sacred the wedding ring was, what it symbolized, how much thought went into picking it out and presenting it and how something so sentimental could ever be pawned!
Different stories.
But they are our stories.
I called him today and told him my story again and told him that I see his story with new eyes now.
Two calm grown ups telling their story.
We should all see everyone's stories with new eyes.
Healing.
I was minding my own business watching "The Sisterhood" when right there on my TV screen I saw something I once did play out.
One of the Pastor's wives had to pawn her wedding ring to make ends meet.
I too pawned my wedding ring many years ago.
And this caused such strife in the marriage.
I explained over and over how I agonized over the decision and it didn't mean I didn't love him or didn't believe in the marriage. It had everything to do with staying afloat and not going down financially. It had everything to do with making sure the kids were good and our lights wouldn't be cut off. It had everything to do with doing what needed to be done to survive.
I watched this Pastor's wife agonize over the decision, cry and hand that ring over with such a heavy heart.
All those feelings from that very day so many years ago rushed right back.
I had no idea that I still needed to heal from that.
The idea of "telling your story" has been on my heart heavy lately. John Mayer sang the first line of Shadow Days so eloquently, "Did you know that you could be wrong and swear that you're right? Most people have been known to do this all their lives."
Everyone has a story to tell.
It can be the truth or a lie until they believe it to be the truth BUT it is their story.
I am all about truth telling.
I could never understand why someone whose back I had so fully in a marriage would not believe me about the wedding ring and how it was a symbol of our love and marriage but how our marriage was still intact without it.
He could never understand why someone whose back he had so fully in a marriage could not see how sacred the wedding ring was, what it symbolized, how much thought went into picking it out and presenting it and how something so sentimental could ever be pawned!
Different stories.
But they are our stories.
I called him today and told him my story again and told him that I see his story with new eyes now.
Two calm grown ups telling their story.
We should all see everyone's stories with new eyes.
Healing.