I am vocal in my belief of the sanctity of marriage. When I hear people complaining about their spouse, I always try to turn things around to the positive side. Or I point out how wrong it is for them to complain about what they are complaining about…
I am currently working with a woman who is contemplating a divorce; gathering information and “processing” the situation. Her complaints stem from her husband’s job. He is an over-the-road truck driver and is away a large portion of the time. My first question to this woman was “Was he a truck driver before you were married?” My thought being that if she knew that he would be away from home that often before she was married, this is a sign that perhaps she thought he would change. This is a bad way to start a marriage.
The path she is choosing is not one that I can condone. However, I can only limit contact and conversation with her; I cannot completely avoid either. And should I? As a person, I feel compassion and sympathy for her when I hear her speak of 14 years of marriage about to end. I want to comfort and be a friend, yet I don’t want to condone a divorce.
This is an issue common to working in a secular position. In being compassionate, even if I state that I do not believe in divorce, would my actions be saying this is okay? I pray that God gives me the words to say, and in the meantime, continue to reaffirm where I stand so this does not become so commonplace that it becomes acceptable to me.
Marriage now appears to be “just something you do.” Divorce is easy to obtain. Most people do not realize how it affects others around them. This woman missed a day of work, Valentine’s Day. While I don’t recognize this day, many do, and this was not a day she wanted to be in public. This affected all of us at work as we all had to take our turn filling in her position throughout the day. This is not a private matter. It affects us all. “This world we live in is interconnected.” (taken from “Private Life” 1/14/0 
Suggested reading: http://soulsharborofrockford.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/private-life/
