Marriage is
a tightrope walk
between saying too much
and controlling someone else’s action
or ensuring their inaction—
and not saying enough,
leaving the other person to find their way,
fumble through, guess where you might be coming
from, or what you’re planning to do next—
marriage is like that, a delicate dance
between the over-stated and unspoken,
each person needing core
strength to stay
upright—
to know what they’re about
and recall, in tense moments,
what drew them up here,
the dream that inspired
them each
to fly
towards the other.
Marriage is worth the effort, the prayers, the needs met in ways that respect where both people are at; when it works, it’s beautiful – a GREAT GIFT – but when it doesn’t, it’s worth taking stock, stepping back and figuring out WHY, and risking a small nudge in the right direction, while realizing it’s a delicate balancing act that requires agility and fortitude in equal measure: fluidity and rock-solidness – you get the idea; it’s a coupling, and it’s beautiful when it works! So, here’s to making it work, this gift we’ve been given.
This poem appears in my book Longings of the Soul, a poetic response.
Poetry is one of those wonder-filled ways we connect with our inner life, and seek to bring it more and more into the light of God’s goodness and grace towards us.