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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: TRIP (10/18/18)
“I didn’t expect marriage to be like this,” Hunter said after a long pause. He was sitting rather uncomfortable on the counselor’s couch, thinking and rethinking every word he was about to utter. It felt no matter what he said, he would get the icy look from Amelia. Her heavy breathing and tight shoulders next to him felt like a big index finger pointing back at him. It made him want to leave. He glanced at the door a few times, but realized there was no way out, unless he wanted his marriage to end.



No matter what he did, he couldn’t get pass the thick mist of tension between him and his wife. It felt impossible to reach her. The fact that the counselor didn’t allow him to default to his normal yes and no responses added to the inner turmoil he was experiencing. He had to answer the counselor; even if Amelia’s shocked reaction would be like a gun going off in his ears.



“I…”, he struggled to find the words.



The counselor looked at him with encouragement. He gave another deep breath and started again.



“I wanted to get married because I thought of marriage as a trip filled with adventure, and I wanted Amelia to be my travel partner. She was my best friend. We connected in a deep way,” Hunter rubbed his knees a few times before he continued; “Overall the trip was supposed to be fun, with the occasional low here and there. Instead, it turned-out to be a ticket straight to jail.” When he finished he looked just as surprised as his wife. He tried to stop the words from coming out but it just kept coming. “I mean, not everything is bad,” he said while looking at Amelia’s face apologetically.



“Go on,” the counselor responded. He looked at his wife again with regretful eyes. “I don’t know,” his heart pounded.



“Take your time,” the counselor assured him. She could see he was like a scared little puppy not knowing what to do.



“I still want to be on this trip with Amelia, or rather”, he looked down and took a deep breath, “I was hoping that the trip would be what I envisioned it to be. Our marriage up until now has been one big disappointment. We work, get home, fight and go to bed angry. I am stuck in a place I don’t want to be and I can’t get out,” Hunter said looking down at the floor, “The connection is gone.”



Everyone sat in silence for what seemed to be eternity. A bomb just went off, and dust needed to settle. The counselor knew she had to give Hunter and Amelia the chance to process what was being said.



Finally, she broke the silence. “I think what happened here was good. It’s not always easy to be honest.” Amelia and Hunter looked at her with confused faces. “Exposing vulnerabilities, no matter how hard it feels, are the path to healing. When we keep our thoughts in the dark, no light can come in to expose the lies.” The couple looked like two students trying to decipher a math problem. ““I like Hunter’s analogy of going on a trip.” she continued without being unnerved by their reactions. “You are not where you want to be, but it is not the final destination. If you both decide to fix what is broken and allow God to help you, He will surprise you with a trip that will exceed your wildest dreams. The question you need to ask yourself however is;” she paused for a moment and gave a serious look, “Do you believe the trip is worth fighting for?” She sat back in silence to give the couple time to reflect on the answer. Hunter glanced at the clock and was surprised at how quickly the time passed.



”Time is up,” she said closing her notebook, “Let me end of with this: Faith, hope and love is all you need. But the greatest of these is love.” She smiled and opened the door indicating to the couple that they can leave. “Today was difficult, but good. Be encouraged and have a nice day,” she said with a friendly grin.



As Hunter closed the door behind him, he felt cautiously optimistic. For the first time in months he saw a glimmer of hope. Maybe God can do a miracle and give him the marriage trip he always wanted.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Nancy Bucca
10/26/18
I think you've got a great message here about the sort of trip a person might expect a marriage to be. You did a good job showing Hunter's hesitation to speak and the advice the counselor gave him and Amelia. It would have been nice to get Amelia's perspective, however, especially since it seemed as if Hunter was a little bit afraid of her. Often one partner is more vocal while the other finds it more difficult to speak. But if Amelia is as reserved as Hunter is, then it makes more sense. Overall I think you did a great job with the writing, and you made an excellent point at the end.

Claudia Barrington
10/27/18
Communication gets things moving...one way or another. That's why Hunter felt better. At least his feelings and thoughts weren't jailed anymore. Right? That was the impression I got. Good writing.