The leaves are finally starting to fall. There is no color this year … all the leaves are dry, parched, and brown, with ugly black splotches.
As I was going to get the mail yesterday, I was fascinated by the harsh raspy sound the dry parched leaves in the trees were making as they rustled together against each other in the breeze. It made me think how people’s souls are so dry and parched right now … and that harsh raspy sound … that’s about what people sound like as they rustle together against each together in the everyday stirrings of life.
I was also fascinated by how much fun it was to step on all the dry fallen leaves in the driveway and hear the crunch!
What is it that makes it so fun to step on leaves and hear the crunch?!
As I crunched my way down the driveway to get the mail, I couldn’t help but think how society is so much like this! It seems all of society nowadays is finding great delight in “stepping on people’s dry, parched souls” … just to hear the crunch!
Everywhere we turn … it seems as if everyone everywhere is walking down life’s roadway “stomping on people’s dry parched souls” … just for the fun of hearing the crunch!
I guess part of the reason it’s so fun to hear the crunch is because it gives us a sense of power. And I guess that as everyone in society goes around “stomping on other people” it gives them a sense of power to hear the crunch underfoot.
People’s souls are dry, parched, and weary. This includes our spouse! (and our kids!)
Because of our close relationship with our spouse, we know their weaknesses better than anyone else. We know their vulnerabilities. We know the areas of their life which are more parched than others.
Life is a whirlwind of busyness … just trying to keep up with everything! We get caught up in the hurry and rush. We are swept down the “road of life” with the rest of humanity and, without even realizing it, we wind up “crunching” leaves down the road as we go! Afterall, it’s fun to hear the crunch.
We aren’t intentionally being mean … it’s just that everyone else is “crunching” as they blaze down life’s roadway, and we get caught up “crunching” along the way too.
Then we come home … to our “safe place” … a place where we are accepted. Where we are known.
And without even realizing it, we “crunch” our spouse. We “crunch” our kids. Afterall, we’ve been “crunching” all day.
“Crunching” our spouse is especially damaging to our marriage. Because we know them better than anyone else … we know their weaknesses better than anyone else … and so our “crunch” hurts and damages far far greater!!
The intimate knowledge we have into our spouse’s soul is sacred! It’s something to treasure! It’s something to protect!
Obviously, we would never intentionally “crunch” people. However, if we get caught up with the crowd and don’t make a conscious effort regarding how we treat others, we will wind up not only “crunching” and destroying people along the roadway of our normal, everyday life … but … we will also wind up “crunching” and destroying our spouse.
