John S. Sommer Counseling
  • Home
  • Qualifications
  • Location
  • Photos & Essays
    • Photos
    • Essays >
      • The Entertainment Director
      • Fathers and Daughters
      • Reframing: The Art of Looking Deeper
      • The Incredible Absorbing Man
      • The Little Old Man Stuck in My Head
      • The Lobster Tale
  • Links
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Sound Bites

All persons and situations reflected in these writings are pretty much fictional, based on generalizations over the course of many years of counseling. Any actual events or settings have been changed, including names and other details, to protect client confidentiality.



The Zombie Life Isn’t For Me

6/2/2016

3 Comments

 
Three years ago I was ad libbing a response to a question when I finally figured it out.

We were at Mass in Corpus Christi three years ago, to celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary. At the end of Mass, the priest asked, "anyone here celebrating an anniversary?"  I thought he was just going to toss us out a nice blessing, so I raised my hand along with an older woman. He then asked, "so what's the secret of your long marriage"? Uh oh. I hadn't planned on being called on, but it was  too dang late. He asked the woman first. She responded, "perseverance". Everyone chuckled. Then he remembered I had put my hand up, so he asked me, "is your secret perseverance"?  I really wanted to say something like: "that's a pretty insulting remark- you know, 'I can hardly stand him, but I'm hanging on'. Sheesh". But instead I responded, "No. Perseverance has nothing to do with it. I remind myself, pretty much on a daily basis of the incredible gift God has given me, and I give continual thanks." I wish I had concluded with: "And that's a fact, Jack", but I didn't think of it until later. Anyway, when I made my statement, I could hear a bunch of "ahhhhhh"s. You know, like ahhhh, isn't that sweet? Hey, I thought we were supposed to be in love. I mean, when I married her I was crazy in love. She's even better now than 39 years ago. Does everyone think a permanent relationship is supposed to be endured? How about the idea we all get to invent our marriages? Invent how to impress our spouse after ten years, twenty years, forty-two years. Perhaps everyone's into zombie movies so much they've turned into a zombie themselves. Maybe I'll make that my mantra: de-zombify our marriages. It's our forty-second anniversary today, and I'm even more thankful than I was three years ago. The zombie life isn’t for me.



Subscribe to John S. Sommer Counseling - Blog by Email


3 Comments
Teresa Collins
6/2/2016 11:25:25 pm

I was almost afraid to read this, you know, zombies, blood, guts, gore. Even though I have been single 25 years, should I marry again I will look at it differently because of having read this. Good job.

Reply
Stairlifts Kentucky link
1/10/2023 10:53:29 am

Heello mate nice post

Reply
John
1/10/2023 09:10:31 pm

Thanks. And here we are, at 48.5 years and still rockin'. j

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Behavioral
    Hey John Advice
    Other Stuff
    Parenting
    Relationships
    Semi Personal

    Picture

    About the Author

    I did NOT like writing stuff in school. However, now that it's voluntary, I like it. I'm still working on that attitude of mine.....

    Subscribe to John's Blog by email:

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


    Facebook

    Categories

    All
    Behavioral
    Hey John Advice
    Other Stuff
    Parenting
    Relationships
    Semi Personal


    Archives

    December 2021
    September 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015


    All persons and situations reflected in these writings are pretty much fictional, based on generalizations over the course of many years of counseling. Any actual events or settings have been changed, including names and other details, to protect client confidentiality.

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.