"better man"

One member of our family, my stepson's mother-in-law, has been hospitalized in an intensive care unit for 8 days. Her condition is critical from surgery for a compressed disc. She also has an endocrine complication which put her in a crisis state., I have been with her for 3 days during the day. Her husband, daughter (pregnant) and son-in-law (my stepson-Doug) come in early mornings, late afternoons and evenings. Her daughter and Doug are teachers and this is the first week of school. It is mandatory they be at their jobs. They have a 2 year old. They are so stressed they cannot be at the hospital 24 hours a day. I have been at the hospital as much to relieve their stress as any function I might have with their mother.

We are aware that this stress has caused many conversations between them and struggles of who can or should take off work to be at the hospital, who picks up their 2 year old, how long should they stay at the hospital in the evening, how can they relieve the stress on the pregnancy. Last evening Doug phoned us with many thanks for my presence at the hospital and also to say he would take today off to be there. When his dad asked him how he had reached the decision to be the one to take the day off, he replied, "I'm trying to be a better man, Dad."

Doug went through a horrific divorce a number of years ago. There were many accusations about the kind of husband he had been. He was devastated. (Of course as his parents, we think he is and always has been wonderful; but we also know that no one ever really knows what goes on in a marriage) So his comment of "I'm trying to be a better man" touched us deeply.

 It is proof we can all work to be better. It is proof we can all change our decisions and therefore our behaviors. We can all be "better" men and women.

Is there a place today to make a better decision, to change an old behavior. Where? What?
Pray for the awareness and courage and humility to be "better."
Blessings-Penny