Bugs

One of my co-workers has a bug. Physically, she is aching, sniffing, sneezing, stuffy-head (you can problably state the slogan with me.) If one were to look at her, one would see that she is having trouble sleeping; the bug is wreaking havoc with her emotions and that which has infected her, keeps her from concentrating on the task at hand. Her nose is red from blowing; her eyes are watery; her lungs rasp and ache and I feel sorry for her. I cringe every time I hear someone say, "Oh, it's just that time of year," as if that will make the ill person feel better that the earth produces germs at particularly repetitive times.

There are certain medicines that you can take to rid yourselves of the cold bug, flu bug and whatever other kind of insect you choose to adapt as a symbol of an illness. I often wondered why germs are called bugs - it seems somewhat derogatory for those poor defenseless germs that inhabit our airways and sinuses (I'm kidding of course.)

But there is one bug that has infected another one of my friends that is certainly welcome. The Love Bug (not the 1970's version of a VW Beetle that has a talking front end and is prone to driving itself around a racetrack) has found its way to Trina. Bit her hard, too. I can see the results of its infection. Her nose, at times, is red from crying with happiness (I think its happiness?), perhaps its just the scrambling of emotions when the Love Bug bites. Her eyes twinkle with happiness - she has placed a picture of her loved one, Dan, right next to her computer - it seems that she can't take her eyes off him; certainly, she may be having troubles concentrating and that is not a bad thing at all - no sirree - not a bad thing at all.

What's different about my friend Trina is that she's been married to Dan 19 years already. After a few rough years, Trina and Dan had found themselves inoculated against the beautiful disease - the disease that causes feelings and flooding of emotions to wash over them - to look at each other as if the time they spent together was the most precious possession on earth. They had, it seemed, become immune to looks and touches, a brush of hair, coquettishness, his wanting to impress her with his strength. Their eyes became dimmed of the light of love; the infectious laughter that once permeated their one-ness, had been eradicated.

After many months of trials and talking, emotions and encouragement, Dan found Trina again; Trina saw Dan the way he was but especially the way he is and found that they had wasted enough time avoiding love. Trina came to me a few weeks ago and asked if I would bless their rings for them - if I would help them reaffirm their vows, in a way, that they made 19 years ago. In the midst of God, in the sanctuary, with their son Brandon watching, they professed that love would once again be a constant in their life - that through their own blood vessels the Love Bug would do its incredible best.

I don't think that Trina an Dan are the only ones that suffer, or have suffered, through a time of numbness in relationship. Why do we become immune to our partner's love? Why do we starve the bug that seeks to infect us with amorous love from God? I think it comes from our willingness to set aside our priorities in life and deal with the pressures of the present - the stresses of life that need our immediate attention - and we lose focus on the big picture. All becomes blurry because of struggles at work, putting food on the table, disciplinary problems for kids and we forget the very first moment we saw the love of our lives.

The first time I met Christine is still crystal clear in my memory. I was returning from a fishing trip in Canada, my sister Vikki was driving; we entered the city of Minneapolis where I was to join a Youth Encounter band as the bass guitar player. My sister and I were very close, but she also had a endeared relationship with my current girlfriend at the time. As we stepped out of the car, I looked up and an angel appeared in front of me - it was almost as if I was a deer and the brightness of the sun caused me to pause - I felt run down by a train - WHAM! There she was, this tanned Venus wearing short shorts and a blue t-shirt, her bleached brown hair plaited, big brown eyes - She saw me too. The love bug took a chunk out that time. As I tried to pry my mouth off of the ground, my sister came and stood in front of me, grabbed my by the shoulders and said, "Don't you dare."

Well, I dared.

Throughout our married life, just like Trina and Dan have done, Christine and I continually search for new ways that we can invite God to infect us with the Love Bug. This sounds a bit schmaltzy, cheesy and all sorts of things that only Nicholas Evans could write about (or maybe Danielle Steele). But, I honestly think that we need to open our eyes anew every day and find ways to introduce the host into our system - be carriers of love - all sorts of pieces of the analogy can come to light. Love-sickness, it's a real disease, and a great one.

Find some time to talk with your loved one, or family, or whomever that is closest to you, to re-establish the things that you love about them and why they make you happy. Write lists including the memories that jump to your mind that are crystal clear when you were happy together.

Grow some bugs.