Thursday, June 25, 2009

A Wee Bit of Social Commentary Again

It's been a bit since I have engaged in some social commentary, but today there are just too many things out in the news that are providing fodder for some commentary.  I could write about the passing of Michael Jackson or Farah Fawcett, but instead I am going to write about the governor of South Carolina - Mark Sanford.
The obvious thing to write is that he is an utter idiot.  I am not going to condemn the guy because of cheating on his wife.  My view on that subject is that you never know what is going on in the private lives of people.  You just never know the situation.  But I do think the guy is so stupid to think that he can be the sitting Governor of a state and disappear to Argentina for a week.  What in god's name was he thinking?  As a private citizen, you want to do that - no problem.  But as a governor....  the guy is just plain and simply nuts.
Even this is really not the point about which I wanted to write.  What I really caught my attention about the whole situation was the statement that his wife issued.  As I said I don't know the whole situation in their private life.  No one does but them.  Regardless I think the statement that she issued captured something that is so often missing in today's world.  There was one particular sentence that really hit home with me.  It was this...  "I believe enduring love is primarily a commitment and an act of will, and for a marriage to be successful, that commitment must be reciprocal."
Why did this sentence hit home with me?  Because you see so many instances in this life where people don't understand the whole point of marriage and saying that you are in love with another person.  It isn't fickle.  It isn't a temporary thing.  It is something that you really have to work at.  It is something that if you want it takes a lot of effort.  This whole concept is important to me because of what I endured for so long while Patty was sick.  
I can't tell you how I suffered during that horrible period.  But it didn't matter in the slightest.  What mattered was that I had committed myself to our relationship.  It would have been so easy to give up and walk away and just not deal with the pain and suffering, but how could I do that?  I know this isn't making a lot of sense, but when you have been where I have been in life you see the importance of the statement.  You see the importance of the whole concept - working through all the issues in a relationship.  I guess I am thinking of this even more as the one year anniversary of Patty's passing in approaching.  I am sure I will write a lot more about that subject as the days pass.
Anyway - forgive my rambling for the night.  It has been a VERY long and busy week.  I am so looking forward to the weekend.  I think Zack and I will do a big hike on Saturday as long as the weather holds.  Then on Sunday we unfortunately will be going to a memorial service in Longmont for Ramon Owens.  It is never fun to go to these things, but I think it is an important thing to do - to show your respect for those who are no longer with us.
Anyway - I hope everyone has had a great week so far.
Thanks and peace to all - J.

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