As a lawyer and as a nurse, you can just imagine that I have seen people at their absolute worst.
Whether it is being sick, on the verge of death, or in some kind of personal tragedy, it is fascinating to watch the personal dynamics between people.
Today, in my role as a lawyer, I went to interview a couple who called me to have their wills drawn up. The wife is dying from Stage 4 cancer and her time here on earth is short. This particular couple has been married for many years but I could tell that they LOATHE each other. From the energy in the room I could just tell that this feeling is nothing new for them - this has been going on for a long time. The body language, the disdain in their voices, I couldn't miss the hatred.
It reminded me once again that life is just too short to spend time wasted like that.
I felt sorry for that lady - the man too, but today, mostly the lady because her time is running out. How many years have they wasted married to each other when they obviously can't stand each other? Why do people stay in that situation? It's too late now for her to find happiness. Maybe for him too. Who knows.
It just reminded me once again of how thankful I am for my life, and how important it is to me to be with someone who not only loves me but makes me happy and makes me laugh. I'm so thankful for all the fun we have and the respect we have for each other. We like each other *and* we love each other. I'm going to guard that like crazy because once the love and respect start slipping away, we are on very dangerous ground. You may never get back.