To love and cherish,
till death do us part.
I won’t deny that in every wedding I’ve attended, I look forward to the vows. That is the moment that two people make a pact of loyalty.
But, what if your partner is diagnosed with an illness that devastates their quality of life?
I met a girl in her 20s who battled cancer. She was in and out of the hospital with a fighting spirit. Her boyfriend stayed with her through the tough times. As she returned home, he broke up with her.
She pointed out that they have climbed the highest mountain— fighting for a chance at life. Why quit now?
Nothing shakes a relationship more than the stress of an illness & the possibility of death. There is so much physical and emotional work involved for both people.
In the book “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker, he writes about narcolepsy, a neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system. He details one symptom, cataplexy, which is the loss of muscle control triggered by positive or negative emotions.
Think of sharing an inside joke, having an argument, or even having any sexual relationship with your partner and how that person can lose control over their muscles.
“Emotions in appropriate amounts make life worth living,” Walker says. Our feelings of joy and sadness remind us of our vitality. Yet, a person with narcolepsy or cancer may lose their appetite for life.
Every relationship is a decision of loyalty. There is some truth in health is wealth. Yet, our relationships founded in support and loyalty make us richer.
