I was reading an article about the negative effects of watching television on marriage. It is by Scott Stanley, who is one of my heroes in marriage education. He describes the scenario in which people who saturate their thinking with bloated expectations about romance tend to bolt their marriages in pursuit of something better. 

 

As is aways the case, Scott's blogs are based on research and plenty of it. He is the man who coined the term "Sliding vs Deciding" when it comes to cohabitation. A steady diet of watching fragile relationships impacts our ability to remain committed. 

 

In contrast I marvel at the vast number of people who have watched Les Miserables. I went to the movie yesterday, along with a few thousand people nationwide. It is a potent story about a man's moral integrity, and his enormous resolve to live with compassion. We saw Jean Valjean grapple with excruciatingly difficult choices, and his enormous resolve to follow through. Audiences have been drawn to the play continuously for twenty seven years, and the novel has been in print for one hundred and fifty. 

 

I think it is miraculous that such a vivid tale about commitment has been seen and heard and wept over by countless people. Surely the images of Jean Valjean persevering over enormous struggles have seeped into the hearts of many. 

 

Perhaps the story of one man, one imaginary peasant, who strove toward goodness is enough to help the rest of us keep trying. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Kat Gatti

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