Timehop reminded me today of a post that I wrote about a father's love back in 2008 on my other blog. As I read my post on watching fathers interact with their children while I took their pictures, I felt conflicted. For I remember the healing that took place as I created a presentation of many fathers with their children, unfortunately, some of those same men were not what they presented.
It is doleful to have to search through your posts and scrub them of people that have deeply hurt you and your family. Seeing their name or picture causes such pain now, when it used to bring healing.
And with a sadness, for what was, for what I thought was, and for the knowledge that I have now, I deleted that presentation. Some things can be edited out of our lives, while others simply must be deleted.
But here we are, on Father's Day and what I found was this amazing man I married, who has endured so much in his life and remained the same towards his wife and children. And it was when I started looking for those same pictures to create a new presentation, that I was reaquainted with this treasure I had all along. While the pictures brought back so many memories, I saw those same gentle eyes and hopeful smile in each picture.
It was today that I saw my husband with fresh eyes- or better yet, enlightened eyes. For I saw him remain the same loving person who went through all of the struggles and shame right alongside me. For it was not just me that suffered in the churches, he did too. Those pastors attacked his identity and tried to shape him into their likeness and image, instead of Christ's. Even though he is still healing from all of that pain and deception, I still see hope, which astounds me.
I have seen what brain injuries have tried to steal from him, but failed.
I have seen what evil men tried to forge, but failed.
I have seen the cost, the true cost of starting over in life and how it has tried to bleed him of his dignity and character, but failed.
Everything that life has thrown at him, he has remained the same. He loves his family and is willing to anything he can to help them. These images along with the narrative of his life are what brought me deep healing today. For it was not just a snapshot of a beautiful moment, but a lifetime of love and devotion that I saw affirmed through each year. It was when I saw my husband with these eyes, that I understood what a Father's love looks like through all the seasons of life.
That is a love never fails.
Happy Father's Day, my love!
I am so proud to be your wife and the mother of your children.
1 comment:
Thank you --------- words fail to express the emotion that your post brings --------- it is my deepest honor to have been the man you describe - - - - - - - - - - - - - if in the end nothing else in my life seemed like a success, I would consider it to be a life well lived because I was given this family to love, and did so with all my heart.
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