The Inherited Gown
It was torn. It was discolored. It was covered with multiple layers of dust. When presented to her by her grandmother she politely smiled, and out of duty expressed thanks and appreciation. Inside she felt uncomfortable and slightly repulsed as the gown was not worth keeping. What crossed her mind was her sense of relief when she pictured the dress in the trash, outside of her home and sight. Still, something inside of her wasn’t quite settled. Although the gown appeared obviously worthless, within her was a sense that it would be wrong to discard it. And it was not a sense of obligation to her grandmother.
She set it in her living room over a wooden chair where the fragrance of dust and moisture would not be able to penetrate and remain, causing future displeasure. The next day she took the inherited dress to a friend who appraised antique clothing, and to her utter amazement found that the dress was worth over $200,000. Underneath the dust, the material and design were extremely rare, as were the diamonds layered throughout. She was overjoyed at this incredible gift her grandmother had given and was glad she did not overreact to her initial displeasures concerning the value of her newly discovered prize.
Not unlike marriage sometimes. Years of neglect and wear can cover marriage with layers of dust. The aroma of your love can be blocked by exposure to the negative elements of life. It can appear as if your relationship no longer has value. But, like the dress, this is just not true. Your marriage is extremely valuable. There are rare diamonds just underneath the dust. You may need some help to remove the dust and repair the torn fabric, but there are valuable stones and luster underneath. You have just forgotten each other, somehow. Your pain and toil has caused you to forget, but you can remember again. Your relationship, like the gown, can be restored. You can take the steps… read some books on marriage, go to a marriage weekend, get professional guidance. Your best years may well be in front of you. Don’t give up. What you have may be unsightly, but the value underneath still remains.
