For the Better

 

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:  If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. ~Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

The older I get, the more I crave routine in my day.  Are you the same way?  But as we age, there are so many instances where interruptions become the norm instead of the exception.

My husband, Danny, and I used to take on separate duties in managing our household.  Since he is the chef and menu planner each week, he would take any required jaunts to our favorite grocery stores, always in search of the best bargains and healthiest foods he could find.  I would stay back at the house, content with doing the usual housework and reading/writing as much as possible.  If I have an appointment scheduled with the dentist or a doctor for a regular checkup, I simply take off in my car without Danny have to accompany me, and vice versa.

Those days, since the end of January, are behind us for the foreseeable future.  Danny's pacemaker surgery (you can read the details HERE) changes everything.  For both of us.  Whenever we have appointments or need to go shopping, we have to go together.  Although there have been many notable improvements in Danny's mental and emotional state over the months, shaking off the effects of medical, or any other type, of PTSD takes patience, outside counseling and the will to return to some state of normalcy in life.

And prayer.  Lots and lots of prayer.

Laughter doesn't hurt either.  We often joke about the situation, admitting that as much time as we have to be in close proximity, at least we like each other's company.  That's a good thing to be sure!  Yes, we've both had to make adjustments that sometimes feel restrictive in the moment, but that is simply a reality of marriage in a nutshell.  We give because we love, we love because we give.

Honestly, it's not easy to admit that neither one of us can do activities we once did without a second thought, like traveling long distances from home or volunteering for projects in our church or community that once would have allured us individually.  But this seems, upon reflection, an insignificant price to pay to feel safe and secure in our daily lives.

I can personally attest to Solomon's wisdom in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10:  Two are better than one.  May God grant us His grace and mercy to traverse this journey together.  One day at a time.  All for the better.

Amen!