Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Splitting Heirs

What happens when life takes a toll on love and wedded bliss becomes tears and distance and loss and pain? What a justice of the peace may have joined together, a judge of the court may have to divide asunder.
I dare say that no two people who pledge their love and watch their love create life ever believe that their love will end one day–––and that  the life that was brought forth from two will ever need to be divided between two (or more). And yet that is what happens. The, young people, the ones who had nothing to do with the start of the love, or with the demise of the love often find themselves smack dab in the middle and torn.

Reminds me of an ancient tale. The story is told that people from surrounding nations came to hear King Solomon’s wisdom. He composed 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. Although Solomon was a young king, he soon became known for his wisdom. The first and most famous incident of his discernment as a judge was when two women came to his court with a baby whom both women claimed as their own. Solomon threatened to split the baby in half. One woman was prepared to accept the decision, but the other begged the King to give the live baby to the other woman. She would rather have someone else raise her child than see her child be divided. The wise Solomon then knew the second woman was the real mother. Where are wise judges like this in our modern times?

Another very wise man once said, "no matter how amicable any dissolution may start out, they all eventually turn ugly… therefore… get everything in writing." So, I suppose splitting hairs may be wise on some level… but splitting heirs…? 
“Growing up is loosing some illusions, in order to acquire others.”
- Virginia Woolf
Even though I am an adult, day by day I am finding that I am still having to let go of illusions of what I thought my life and family would be. Heirs have been split...