my careless contagion

Shawn Mendes' Treat You Better was, at least for a moment, the theme song for my relationship with the woman I fell in love with during my separation. She had told me some things about her husband, and I thought, "I could treat you better." I thought, erroneously, that any man could have treated her better, and, most certainly, I could! It's true, any girl like her deserves a gentleman, but that man is not me. While it may seem I'm walking over the same old ground here, I also feel it's necessary to let things run their course. Bear with me. As she shared more about this complex man, this man whom she loves dearly, I've come to respect him on many levels. And I've changed my mind and now say no one could treat her better than him. He is truly a wonderful husband, father, mentor, coach, and all the other roles he fills. He fits her like a glove, and it's easy to see why she loves him so much. It's time for me to recognize my mistake her...

Guard your heart. Out of it flows the issues of life, we're told. Your heart is described as the center of your being. It's your core, your essence. With all of it, we are supposed to love the Lord our God.  My heart had drifted from my ex-wife many years ago. It's safe to say I loved her, but she did everything she could to defeat that love. To protect myself and my heart, I started to float free. Eventually, I imagined life without her. Those imaginings turned into pleadings and a desperate need to leave, which I eventually did. When I met a certain woman, it was, as we called it, "a slippery slope." We fell headlong into each other, and it was ridiculously good. Until it wasn't. We were both married, me deeply unhappily so. I cannot say how she felt about her husband at the time, but I do know she loved him much more than I loved my wife, and much more than any man could ever expect to be loved.  Our relationship ended before we ended our m...