I am not sure who is getting taught a lesson by my children being products of a divorce. I have thought about this much lately—the holidays seem to remind me of the ideal life that I can not provide my children. The ideal American life: two biological parents living happily together, raising children together, facing difficulty and prosperity together, growing as a family unit.
I have come to the understanding that all things that we are faced with come to us for a reason. Yes, even the bad. Even the real bad events happen for a reason. Although they may happen directly to us it may not be our lesson that needs to be learned. I know that my divorce has taught me things, first and for most it has taught me the meaning of God’s love for me. To many this comes as a shock. I was not a believer in Jesus or in God’s unconditional love until my divorce. I went about my day thinking that God didn’t have a hand in the Universe much less my life. I surely did not think that a man that lived for only 33 years, and only taught for 3 years could influence our world for over 2000 years. Those numbers just did not make sense to me. Jesus was a fable that grew out of control. Jesus was no more real to me than Santa Claus. Both, stories of men that did good deeds that spread like rumors on the internet. I am not under the belief that Santa is real but I am not denying that I have changed my mind about other things, Santa is not too farfetched.
How could a gracious God allow bad things to happen to good, innocent people? Why would God allow pain? I am not sure if someone told me this or if I have come up with this on my own, but it is something I firmly believe. All things teach us a lesson, we have the choice to either grow from that lesson or fight against it.
What I don’t understand yet is whose lesson is this? Is it mine? My Ex-husband’s? My kid’s? Or is it someone else’s? There is a theory that everyone in the world is connected by 6 people. It is commonly known as ‘6 Degrees of Separation’ because of a book by the same name from author John Guare. Seem impossible to be true? I had not given it much thought till I found out this summer that I was 4 degrees from a movie star and 6 degrees from England’s royal family. Now with the popularity of Facebook it is thought that that number goes down to 4.74 degrees. Why can’t the lesson from the divorce of Campagna vs. Campagna be the same? I may never know who will learn from this personal tragedy that my family has suffered besides us. Given the numbers I can’t see how many others are not affected. As a matter of numbers all 7 billion people on the planet could be affected. That staggering thought really makes me think harder about the choices I make. Even the minute choices, letting that car in my lane, holding a door open for a stranger or a simple smile as you pass someone on the street. What about the big choices? What a difference we could make our communities or our nation, buying goods or services made locally or nationally could keep your neighbor working. Supporting your neighborhood soup kitchen or homeless shelter could provide nutrition to a child that would otherwise be in the hospital, or security to a child that could either become a felon or a President of a major corporation.
You either believe in God or you don’t, amazingly that does not change that your words and deeds affect more people than yourself. I choose to believe that making happier decisions are to glorify God.
How is the case of Campagna vs. Campagna going to affect you? How will it affect the world?
