The Foolish Woman

by Cheryl Merrick

Sighing deeply,
she begins another day,
attempting to dull the pain of her loneliness
with constant activity.

“My children need this. My house needs that.”
And so she hides behind
a sense of importance,
denying her failure.

“After all, who can expect a marriage
  to be fun and exciting
  after all these years?
That’s just the infatuation of the young.
Our marriage is fine.
We don’t argue and we get along all right.”


Excusing her lack of faith and commitment,
their loneliness slowly expands
into empty years.

Smugly declaring that she is just “supporting the priesthood”,
the woman emotionally withdraws.
Caring for his clothes, fixing his meals, and cleaning their home;
all with a superficial smile.
Smothering the promptings of the Spirit,
she submerges herself in the lives of “her” children.

In the false “peace” of a dying relationship,
she self-righteously assures herself that
she has “done her part’
in their marriage.

And so, having judged her husband
and found him lacking,
she “patiently endures” in protected isolation
waiting for HIM to change.

Deceived with childish daydreams of a man,
who, without effort on her part,
will meet her every need,
she abandons her husband.

Lacking the courage to be a full partner,
she hides her talents within her heart.
Excusing her conduct with,
“He wouldn’t understand anyway.”
And, “I can’t tell him what to do.”

And so, the foolish woman,
refusing to grow and share herself,
Settles, for an easy pretense,
Forfeiting the unity and joy they might have had
in an eternal marriage.