Sometimes I just want to go to sleep and not wake up! (Something a man on retreat told me.)
I was taking to one of the men on retreat here. His life was out of control, his job was something that he hated and he and his wife were constantly fighting over money issues. Though he did say that they still love one another and talk of divorce has never come up.
It is constant he told me, the pressure. Then there are my two teenage children. Talk about change! Where did my two little babies go and who are these teenagers? Then he laughed and said, “Well I guess the same thing happened to me when I was a teenager…..or at least my parents try to remind me of that”. As we talked his focus changed and he started talking how he met his wife, how hard and fast he fell in love with her and how even amidst all the problems and arguing, he could not see life without her.
You know I am self employed and a good deal of my problem is that I really do over work, take on jobs that I really don’t need and many money issues come about because they tend to shop without planning things out. If they changed a little in that regard, they would spend less and things would get better. When I started my business I loved it, I think I could love it again if I did not make it a treadmill.
When younger he continued, my wife and I prayed together. It really did draw us closer for when we pray in front of each other we bring up some pretty deep issues. Then afterward we continue our conversation. So maybe we will could bring back that practice.
So after he talked, I did not say a word, he said, “Boy Br. Mark you are good, I feel so much better”. I smiled to myself, shook his hand and he left filled with good counsel.
Sometimes all people need is someone to just sit there and smile at them.
Br. Mark Dohle, OCSO
Holy Spirit Monastery
