C: Lessons from Girl Scouts

girl-scouts-logo I was a Brownie and then, for one year only, a Girl Scout.  I remember saluting and saying the Girl Scout “Promise” and our motto:

Be Prepared.

Prepared for what?  Truthfully, that question never crossed my young mind back when I was saying these words in unison with my sister scouts.  Five decades later, I know:

Be Prepared for Curves Life is Certain to Throw You.

This motto came to my mind while I was at an informal gathering of friends recently—all women.  One of them told me her story, words tumbling out of her mouth so that I could not get a word in edgewise; I could tell the words were pushed out by pain.  I know, from experienwomen talkingce, of her need to have someone else listen.  She is not my client but she found out I am a  lawyer and felt compelled to tell me.  I was riveted:

Jon and Mary did it all right.  They were correct to the Nth degree.  Jon’s parents were Missionaries.  He grew up in the mission fields of eastern Europe, dedicated to Christ, as were his parents.  His parents are off the field now, working in their mission’s home office not too far from Mary’s home town.

Mary was the daughter of a devout and respected clergyman.  Because of this she found herself at the same Christian university as Jon, where they met.

Jon and Mary grew to know and love each other as friends.  As fellow believers, they agreed to wait to have sex until after their marriage vows.  They stuck to it.  They also waited until both had their nursing degrees.  All was in place for the perfect wedding and, to follow, the perfect marriage, the perfect life.

Surrounded on both sides by loving and supportive families, they began their careers, working in the same children’s hospital and, while they did not work directly together, they had similar schedules.  They purchased a house. They found a church and did meaningful work there.  Bliss settled over them like a blessing. 

In 2009 Jon secretly arranged with Mary’s boss for her to have a week off in the winter.  At Christmas he announced his surprise: A weeklong trip in January to Hawaii for which he had saved on the side.  He had even ordered up a new bathing suit and clothes for Mary.  She had very little hawaii notice—it was wondrous. 

Hawaii was everything that Jon planned for.  They had the time of their lives, seeing sights, soaking up sun and enjoying one another.  Mary was amazed by the romance of Jon’s gesture, and it deepened her love for him, giving her even more faith that he loved her above all else.

Two months after their return, Mary’s pregnancy was confirmed.  They were to have a child the following September.  They learned it was a girl and, after much prayer for just the right name, they settled on Abigail, a woman of God.  They decided that their daughter would be called “Abby.” 

In June Jon left Mary to take a week long mission trip in Haiti with theirlove letter church.  He e mailed her every day—long, loving e mails about how he missed her, loved her, and each one contained a special message for little unborn Abby for Mom to read aloud to her.  His homecoming was as intense for them both as if he had been gone a year instead of a week.

The very next month, July, Mary noticed Jon’s quiet.  It worried her but she chalked it up to baby expectation anxiety.  She had some of that herself.

The first week in August Jon came in with a strained look on his face.  He sat down at the table where Mary was already seated.

Mary, I’ve met someone else.  I’m sorry—I don’t really want to discuss this because my mind is made up—I am in love with this other person.  You must know that I have not been happy for a long time now.  I’m moving out.  In fact, I’m moving right now.  You can have everything here—I just need my clothes.”

This was so quick that Mary had no time to process what was being said.  Surely she had misunderstood, but Jon had left, going into the bedroom leaving her there in shock.  She could hear him moving around, obviously gathering things to take with him.  The panic rose as she realized what was happening.

There ensued a scene.  Mary, full of emotion, begged Jon, reminding him of Abby, pleading with him to reconsider.  He refused.  Cold.  The next thing she knew, he was gone.

As it turned out, he had fallen in love with another nurse, a young, twenty-two year old.  Jon and Mary were ten years older.  She was married, too, without children.   She had already started  divorce proceedings.  Jon thought it would be a comfort to Mary to know that this new woman was excited about helping Jon parent little Abby when she came, sure (she assured him) that she could love her like her own.  No comfort to Mary.

Jon learned that he could not get a divorce with a baby on the way.  It made no difference, he moved right into his new love’s apartment.  He would not return Mary’s calls, dealing with her only through e mail and only in order to take care of joint debts. 

When it came time for the baby, he was notified by Mary’s sister, who was also her labor coach, since Jon was missing.  He called to say he was in the hospital parking lot, wheres daddy awaiting word of the birth.  He did not want to be in the waiting room with Mary’s family—or his, for that matter.  His family had united to try to convince Jon that he was making a mistake.  This, too, was to no avail.

At Abby’s birth, Jon saw her a few minutes, held her and left.  He never asked to see her until they went to court for the first time in November.  At that hearing, Jon not only demanded visitation rights, his lawyer raked Mary over the coals as Jon sat there smugly.  Mary had changed jobs, not wanting to work in the same hospital with Jon and his honey.  Her new job paid her slightly less money, but it offered her very flexible and fewer hours.  She felt she needed this since she was now a single parent.

The hearing was a disappointment to them both.  Jon did not get unsupervised visitation with this tiny baby whom he did not know and he was ordered not to have this child around his girlfriend until the divorce was final.

Mary was disappointed that she received the standard amount of child support, no alimony and only $200 per month toward their $1200.00 house payment.  The judge had done the math and figured out that Mary could make it with this much money—although barely—pointing out that she had made a decision to cut her pay, and he did not feel Jon should have to pick up that slack.  Huh?

Move forward to May, when we had our conversation.  Jon has seen the baby twice at his parents’ house, preferring to wait until the divorce is final, when he can marry his girlfriend and she can help take care of the baby on visitation weekends.  He knows the Court will let him have the baby around her after their marriage.  suitcase child

Mary is in shock at the thought of sending her little one off for “visitation,” especially into the care of a woman whom she does not know and who has been the cause of so much pain.  It is something she never saw coming for her child or her life.

Mary is finding that her budget was so conservative that she is barely making ends meet.  Her in-laws have graciously stepped in to provide her a cell phone on their account to spare her that bill, at least.  She talked about how supportive they are and that they will not meet the new girlfriend, “until they have to when their son marries her.”  What?  Why then?  Sorry, I don’t think the relationship should be countenanced, but I digress into my own opinion.

Mary is in the process of trying to decide if she should look for a job with more money, although it will mean far less time with the baby she must now raise mostly by herself.

And Jon?  He’s living the good life.  He is paying child support, which is far less than would come out of his pocket for this child if he were in the household, plus $200 per month.  He’s living with his honey, sharing her apartment rent, and probably socking money back.  He’s pushing for the house to be sold so that he can force the payment of his share of theirbe-prepared-510 small equity.  And he will be successful.

So Mary is contemplating a move.  On her own.  Finding a place she can afford and which is appropriate to raise little Abby.

She talked to me obsessively because she is scared.  I can tell.  She has good reason. This is nothing like the picture of the life she had formulated in her mind and which she had every reason to expect, given her planning and the care in which she conducted herself.

What hurts her most are two things:

  • Jon’s allegations of his long, miserable life with her.  “It’s not true,” she kept telling me.  “I KNOW he and I were happy.  He is lying.”   and
  • The fact that Jon does not care—even one whit—about the hardships she must now endure.  “This isn’t the Jon I know.  He had a soft heart.”  She is learning that when their heads turn, they feel nothing but contempt for the one left behind—contemptuous of anything that might get in the way of what they want. 

I know she’s right.  I hear it all the time.  I’ve heard it in my own case.  Men who find lovers suddenly “remember” all the unhappiness no one else knew about for years.  Men who find lovers suddenly despise the one they leave behind.

So, I ask: What does one do to protect one’s marriage?  The truth is that no one has any control—whatsoever—over the choices that another makes.   And you can never predict another person’s choices.  Mark it down.

Be prepared.

I feel for her, but I believe she will be fine ultimately.  She is young and attractive.  She will find someone else.  She’s afraid of that comfort, too, and asked me where I think she went wrong this time.

You didn’t,” I replied.  “And, no, you can’t protect yourself against another betrayal. be prepared badge You can only have your feet on solid ground in case it happens again.  Just be prepared…”

So, I repeat:

Be prepared.

Uncertainty is the only certainty there is., and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security. 

John Allen Paulos

- C  (for cynic?)

Comments

I want nothing more than happy marriages for my two daughters, but I AM preaching to them as you say so often "grow your own wings"! Do not let your happiness and financial security depend on one person. Life is just too uncertain--things happen, sadly in our fallen world--sometimes abuse, unfaithfulness and sometimes by tragic accident or death. If I could do one thing over in this life, I would!!! I would have better prepared myself to be independent. My sister was 40 years old, had just graduated with her BS in Nursing, when her husband left, waiting conveniently till the youngest child was 18. What if she had not been educated and able to support herself?
Cowgirl V
Laurie said…
Oh my gosh! I want to post this on every light pole in town. I have seen this over and over....."smart" girls that have no common sense. I can't quite get a grip on why they allow men/boys to have sex with them when the man's character is not worthy of them. Please send this blog post into your paper and spread the word. Come on women out there- at the very least, please use birth control! Bad and unfortunate things happen when we least expect them to.
Anonymous said…
Dee from Tennessee
My dad and mother both wanted -- maybe more than anything -- for me to go to college because "you never know what might happen." I think/believe it stemmed more from the fact that my dad was healthy one day at age 34, and the next day he wasn't. We went from lower middle class -very low -- to low, low lower class overnight. My dad KEPT repeating , "No one can take your education away." (At that time, I had a grand career as a telephone operator (yes, I did!), and I was so fearful of the debt and my ability to accomplish anything. After that brief career - where I was SCARED TO DEATH of the supervisors and making a mistake -, I decided, "yep, I think I'll go to school." I've said all this to say this: I have tried so so so hard to convince a loved one to finish her degree, etc. "in case something happened." Well, "something" has happened as in another woman.....and I can't say anything now. But, yes -- BE PREPARED. You never know what cards you are gonna be dealt... Great post and wise, wise advice. (I just feel so sorry for this young lady ESP. when it comes to the "other woman" being her baby's stepmother. UGH) And I agree about his parents! But I imagine they are between a rock and hard place....I hope they will continue to help her as much as they can, esp. emotionally.
Oh, this story breaks my heart. And it's all too common. :(

Wise words you have put here, C. Thank you -
Vee said…
This story was so overwhelming to me last night when I read it that I couldn't comment. It made me furious. If I were that young man's mother, he'd get such a reaming that he'd wish he'd never had any ideas about a 22-year-old hot, young thing. And he would know that, though I loved him, I would be unable to have anything to do with him until he came to his senses. What a callous, miserable excuse for a human being he is. And after all that was afforded him! I hope that his life with the new chick is a living hell. How's that for sweetness and light? And, for this poor wife and mother to have to hand over her baby to that piece of .... is going to require a great deal of faith and fortitude. The gall!

Are you writing your novel yet?
Vickie said…
Then I'll change my name from V to "cynic", too, C! I've seen this happen, too - to my own sister. Her kids were in middle school, but she had to take a menial job and just squeak by. I have no pity or empathy or anything for that man and his cutie-pie. I felt all that old anger well up inside me again like it does whenever I think about my ex-BIL. I'm a Christian, and Christians are not supposed to hate. It's taken me years to be able to forgive, but I will never be able to forget the pain and anquish he caused our entire family. I pray that this young woman can find peace and comfort and strength from her family and from the Lord. He will see her through.
Vickie said…
I DO get your point - BE PREPARED. I have tried to teach my daughter that. She is entering nursing school this fall.
Sandra said…
What a heart-breaking story.

One thing that comes to mind is that I believe the Devil works the hardest on Christians because when they fall seeing them fall attacks the faith of others.

God has a plan for this young woman and I believe He can use her and her adversity to witness to others, maybe even her faithless husband. May He keep her strong and resolute in her faith, and guide her to an even better life than she could have imagined for her and her baby.
kath001 said…
When you have been irresponsible in some way, you can point to that and say, 'I'll be more careful next time.' But when you have taken every responsible and moral action possible and you have your world pulled out from under you...wow...I can't imagine her ever trusting her own judgment, let alone another person, ever again. But I hope and pray she does. I wish her the best...I pray she is blessed.
mamahasspoken said…
Agree that this is an all too common occurance out there. Locally, I had a family from church that this happen to, the husband left the wife for the choir director. He said all the same things that the man in your story said. A month later, the man and choir director went on a cruise and got married. Marrage lasted maybe two years, when she told him it wasn't working out for her. The ex wife went on to live very happy by herself, doing well. Him on the other hand, has been in and out of several relationships. Seemed fitting end to their story...
Connie said…
Very sad story. Good advice to be prepared. No one can predict the future or what will happen. It's a very good idea to have a plan to take care of yourself.

Thank you for being a follower of my blog. :)
What a story! According to the statistics all Mary has to do is wait...I'm thinking something like 90% of all fathers don't see their kids after the first year...they have no interest...they really never did! People are just never what they seem most times...I'm thinking John was a sociopath...just using mary until another came along and started the cycle all over again...better to have it happen now and not 20 years from now..

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