I saw an article online that said Nicholas Sparks and his
wife have split up after 25 years…TWENTY-FIVE YEARS!?!? I was baffled. Nicholas
has been known to credit his wife for inspiring some of his great works. So what
the heck happened? I have an idea or two about what might be going on in the
Sparks’ marriage.
I love the books!...the movies too, but in most of his
writings I find a very naïve and unrealistic theme prevail…If you find your one
true love, your life will be perfect and you will live happily ever after
(unless of course your one true love dies defending your honor and you spend a
lifetime grieving something that can never be replaced because…well…ONE true
love.) That’s what Sparks is selling, and I’m guessing his success proves how
many people have bought it. It’s a joke! A joke people rely on to be true.
I believe God intended for Ole Jus and I to spend a lifetime
together, so if you use that as the point of reference he must be my ONE TRUE
LOVE. But guess what? That’s not what “one true love” means to people when they
finish a Nicholas Sparks book. If you are buying what he’s selling then, when
your man sees you walk into a room, everything blurs and goes into slow motion.
You think kissing standing outside in the middle of a rainstorm is how you
makeup after a misunderstanding…of course only if it’s TRUE LOVE. Your idea of
the perfect night at home doesn’t include screaming babies, dishes, and bills.
I haven’t read all of his books, but I would bet Mr. Sparks doesn’t highlight
extreme PMS as part of his keys to a lifetime with your…ONE TRUE LOVE.
My point is this…reality isn’t quite as romantic as we see
in books and movies.
I'd like to add that I do believe divorce is necessary for certain circumstances and I don't know exactly what happened in this case, but my presumption on the Sparks’ split is that they woke up one
day and realized REAL LOVE isn’t near as intriguing and exciting as the mysterious “TRUE LOVE”
he sells in his books. When things get tough with your spouse, ONE TRUE LOVE
ideas tell us, “He/she must not be the
one. This isn’t what I signed up for. Someone else wouldn’t treat me this
way.” And the worst one, “I married the wrong person.” In crisis, REAL LOVE
says, “This sucks, but God ordained this marriage and He knew what he was doing.”
REAL LOVE prays. REAL LOVE gets counseling. REAL LOVE makes an effort. REAL
LOVE is hard work.
For me, TRUE LOVE doesn’t take me on long walks at the
beach, REAL LOVE does the dishes. TRUE LOVE doesn’t shower me with gifts, REAL
LOVE provides for our family. TRUE LOVE doesn’t kiss in the rain, REAL LOVE
plays guitar every night for the kiddos. TRUE LOVE doesn’t drink coffee with me
on the front porch swing at sunrise, REAL LOVE let’s me sleep late on
Saturday. TRUE LOVE doesn’t write sweet
love stories, REAL LOVE let’s me use his credit card to buy them. TRUE LOVE
doesn’t whisk me away to a faraway land and slay the fire breathing dragon so
we can live in the beautiful castle, REAL LOVE forgives extreme PMS (which is
kinda like a fire breathing dragon)…FROM THIS SIDE OF THIRTY.
Labels: Marraige
