Friday 10th March, 2023
Is there anything worse than living with an irritable person?
You know, when you spend your days walking on eggshells. Before you speak, before you move, before you even dare breathe you go through all his possible reactions in your head, should I say this? Is it worth it? How will I manage his reaction?
At the moment it may be limited to “sulkettes” or “mini-tantrums” huffs, glares, long silences, perhaps the odd snipe or dig, a passive aggressive comment here and there. But you know it’s coming, the explosion, you can sense it, hovering in the air, twitching, like a predator, biding its time, ready to pounce.
You’ve seen this cycle so many times now that perhaps you’re waiting for it, perhaps you’re wishing for it, you want it to come soon so it’s over and done with, so you can move to the next phase, the apologies, the making up, the “honeymoon phase” where he’s nice, kind, loving, the man you know he is inside (spoiler: he’s not!) Perhaps you’re so keen to get to that phase you needle him, take a deep breath and poke the hornet’s nest, brace yourself for the sting. Then when he’s stung and he shouts “look what you made me do” you feel bad, because you believe you did.
This is not love.
This behaviour may be followed with declarations of love, with apologies, tears and excuses, but make no mistake: it is not love. It is not normal and it is not okay.
Love is not irritable
God is not irritable. He is rich in mercy and slow to anger. God is not an abusive husband or father.
God is love.
Love is not irritable.
