The Sentinel

Guest Commentary |
For better or worse

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

Words are easier than actions. For example, “for better, for worse.” Couples traditionally say these words when they marry. They mean the words at the time. They have no idea what they are saying.

No one can really know what they are saying because they are clueless what the future will bring. Sticking together in marriage is easier when it’s all “for better”. Often life changes direction and it seems everything becomes “for worse.”

Financial difficulties, troubled children, aging parents, life failures, addictions, personality disorders and sickness all have a way of cooling the marital flame.

When a couple first marries everything is about love and nothing else matters. However, eventually everyone faces problems. Sometimes they come early in life and sometimes not until the later years of life. Make no mistake, if you and your spouse live long enough you will face difficulties that will mentally and physically push you to and beyond your limits.

We have to grasp the fact that no matter who you live with there will come a time when you will be a caregiver or need someone to take care of you. The only way to avoid this is to die while you are still physically and mentally independent. There is some kind of weird blessing about just falling over dead or not waking up one morning. It’s a shock to those left behind but you avoid the nursing home and some of the crippling disabilities that eventually happen in life.

None of us want to just fall over dead during our active years. We all want to live to a 100 and then just suddenly move over into heaven. This may be the way you will go and maybe you won’t. None of us know how our lives will end. I suppose it’s best that we don’t know.

If you are blessed with a mate, reach a mutual understanding early on that you are going to see each other through the tough times. It might be all on you to do the caregiving and that’s never easy but it’s easier than being the one inflicted with the illness. If you are the caregiver you can get some rest and restore. The person who is sick never gets a break.

Sadly, some people can’t hold out and give up. People are human beings and not machines. People wear down and are often unable to cope when sickness and troubles are more than they can handle. Try to not be condemning of these people as you are not the one living their lives.

If two people can mutually hang tight through the “for worse” period of life they can help each other to discover a little more “better” even during the very worst of times.

For more insights into this column please read First Corinthians chapter 13 from the Bible. Keep in mind that hard times are not easy times but you can find joy and peace by seeing yourself and your mate through the “worse” times of life.

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He is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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Local plumber to compete for world title

SAVOY - Andrew Hall made local union history, winning the Illinois Pipe Trades state plumbing championship for apprentices in March and taking the district title in June to advance to the United Association Apprentice International Contest in August. Hall, a member of Local 149, is the first East Central Illinois resident to advance to the association's national championship in the plumbing division.

Sentinel.com business news Hall, who earned the District 4 title in Iowa two weeks ago, beating state champion apprentices from 10 other states, will be back in action next month when will go head-to-head against six other district champions from around the country in Ann Arbor, MI.

“It was a very tough competition and it was time-limited, so it was pretty stressful,” Hall said. “The competition was so good, I really thought any one of those other guys could’ve won it. Then I won and was just in disbelief for a couple of hours after that.”

Hall and the competition were tested on plumbing knowledge and skills, including a project involving a mocked-up wall needing pipes and water lines. Certified training directors then graded the work of the state champions from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Hall will now go up against five other district champions.

“Every day is like a puzzle and you have to figure things out,” he said. “I really enjoy it.”

In addition to winning the district championship, Hall recently graduated from Local 149’s five-year apprentice program, where he and 26 other apprentices spent 240 hours in class and 1,700 hours on the job each year. Employed at United Mechanical in Champaign throughout his apprenticeship, the June graduate travels the country as a journeyman plumber.