“Dad, what did you tell Steve?”
Our friends, Steve and Marcie, had just been married at our church, and I’d taken it upon myself to share a wee bit of wisdom I’d accumulated over the years.
“Why do you want to know, Ian?”
“He looked really serious when you were telling him these things, and, if it’s good for him to know, maybe I should, too.”
“All right. Every man has a special pastime. Some have wholesome activities like sports or fishing. Others have less healthy pursuits, a weekly poker game or spending time with some buddies at a watering hole. Mine was strategy gaming, and I spent hours painting figures, poring over rules or preparing gaming tables.”
Ian kept his eyes on me.
“Years before you and James were born, I’d gone to the gaming store after work. Since Mom got off later than me, I thought I’d play a bit before going home. What I didn’t know was that she’d had a hard day at work and needed me to be with her.”
“What did Mom do?”
“She called the gaming store and asked for me. While I spoke to her, she said she needed me at home.”
“What did you say?”
“I told her I was on my way. The other guys made fun of me, implying I wasn’t man enough to stand up to my wife.”
Ian’s eyes opened wide.
“I told them that I loved Mom, and she was worth more to me than all of them put together. I walked out and never came back.”
I took a breath.
“You see, son, if you love a woman enough to marry her, you’ve already decided that she’s the most important person in your life. All you have to do is to live with your priorities.”