75. Trying to Understand
Margaret’s husband came to family day the next week. Standing
perfectly straight, he wore a golf shirt with crisp creases in the short
sleeves, pressed khakis, and immaculately clean sneakers.
He said, “When I was in the Navy I was running a fire fighting
drill. A young sailor lost control of the hose.
The nozzle whipped around like a snake and bit me in the leg, snapping
my femur. I was on painkillers for a month. Then I stopped taking them.”
“I’m not sure I get your point,” I said.
“My wife has been in chronic pain. I understand why she struggles with
painkillers. I’m trying to understand
why my Felix has struggled. He’s a smart
kid. He’s done some things with his
life. Why can’t he just stop?”
He shook his head, and I could see the frustration and
concern on his face.
“Patience," I said. "It's always hard to understand a problem you haven't had. I bet Felix appreciates you trying to understand."
Today I
will be grateful for people who try to understand.
Life on Life's Terms III (c) 2016 by
Ken Montrose
Life on Life's Terms III is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between the
characters and anyone you might know is purely coincidental.
No comments:
Post a Comment