Sunday, November 25, 2012

What's the difference?

B"H


After all these years...
It does not matter...

His name was Peter White.  

A brand new file showed up at the Jewish Family Services...  Peter White, the photographer?  Was he even Jewish?  After being a devoted member of the local Unitarian Church for over fifty years you might think, "no."  But his given name was Peter Weiss.  The son of an old Jewish family from Berlin.  They made it to the States before WWII.  

His girl friend of fifty years wanted to get married.  She told him that she would do anything for her husband.  He told her that she already did everything for him so, why bother.  He missed the point.  At seventy years old, Ruth had been with Peter since she was twenty.  She loved him but she was tired.  First she spoke with the social worker at the Jewish Family Service office.  They should know what was about to happen.  She left them a few phone numbers of his living relatives.  And then she left. 


Peter was clueless.  The university Hillel sent over some students to keep him company; to feed him; to do his laundry; and to do his shopping.  A great nephew from Montana was going to arrive within the week to take Peter to his family.  Did Peter miss Ruth?  We don't know.  All we heard was that he was not yet ready to marry her.  After fifty years of that Ruth moved in with her newly widowed sister who appreciated the help and the company and the rent.  

We love to be recognized and appreciated and wanted in an honorable way.

The label matters very much.  A wife should be so much more than a girl friend.  The structures of society give more honor to a wife.

After fifty years, it matters.  Life is real.  Every moment, every gesture.  Let us be grateful for those who sustain us.  Let us say a great thank you to them in the best way.  

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