Edrina and I have been writing this column now for almost two years, every week, without fail. Each week we write about where things went wrong in our relationship and what we did to correct that, or where we failed and tried again.
We have always believed that through being totally transparent, sharing from our personal experiences and being totally open and honest, it would help you realize that you’re not alone and that you also can achieve a great relationship with your partner.
Yet, I must admit that in showing the “negative” side of our relationship every week, I failed to show you the positive side. So, let’s correct that.
To me, I am married to the most wonderful woman in the world. Edrina has a gift that I haven’t seen in many people. When I first met Edrina, it was on the steps of a Catholic Bible School in Radway, Alberta. My heart was quickened when I saw her.
As I got to know her over the one year between meeting and marrying, I discovered a woman with a gentle, yet passionate spirit for loving people. I discovered a woman who would quietly go up to a hospital and spend time with a person until they died.
I discovered a woman who would wake up in the middle of the night with someone on her heart, pray for them, then call them in the morning to make sure everything was okay. If things weren’t, she’d be right there.
Edrina has a spirit that seems to know when people need her. She will be the first to admit that she is not perfect and that there have been people she has overlooked. Yet, she does what she can.
Her friends have always found her to be a source of wisdom in helping them live their life situations.
It is this same spirit of sensitivity to others that also leaves her open and vulnerable to heartache when troubles arise in her own life – that knot that develops in the pit of your stomach.
It is this sensitive spirit that I was charged with protecting when we gave our lives to each other in marriage over 25 years ago. Sometimes I didn’t do so well.
As men, we need to consider the women in our lives and our role as the guardian of their love.
