I’ve visited and lived in Lake Havasu City long enough to see some sad things happen, especially with marriages. This occurred not only among younger couples but also older ones.
Distractions seemed to be the biggest factor, though neglect played a significant role as well. When I say distractions, I mean that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.
I’ve observed this several times with couples divorcing and marrying their “soulmates”, as it’s often erroneously called. Only after a short time do they find that their precious soulmate is a loser.
Alcohol and drugs are another reason for divorce, with husbands and wives overindulging here, and these stimulants making them do and say things they normally wouldn’t. Domestic violence is the byproduct, and we hear and read about this all the time.
Our local police waste more time answering domestic violence calls than perhaps any other, besides e-bikes. This is a dangerous situation for them, as both parties can quickly turn on law enforcement.
The relationship between alcohol and drugs and domestic violence is significant, as substance abuse often leads to impaired judgment and aggressive behavior, increasing the likelihood of violent incidents within homes.
When individuals overindulge in alcohol or drugs, they may act in ways they normally wouldn’t, resulting in conflicts and escalated tension in relationships. This happens daily throughout the US.
This pattern can create a cycle of abuse, where the consequences of substance misuse lead to further emotional and physical harm, ultimately straining the family dynamics and contributing to a toxic environment.
Years ago, in our neighborhood, we had a young couple going through this ritual, arguing verbally, with the wife often knocking on our door for help. She sometimes had bruises on her face and body. The husband was downright dangerous when intoxicated, yet a real gentleman when sober.
This couple eventually split the sheets, and I still bump into the ex-husband on occasion. He gives me a stern look but never says a thing, evidently still harboring a grudge that Joleen and I helped out his spouse when he’d threatened to kill her. In this case, the woman did the right thing in leaving him before the guy actually did.
The following short poem traces the life of another such couple, with names changed and other personal details omitted. In this situation, things turned out for the good only because of divine intervention.
This was an exception because, as far as I recall, all other marital dilemmas I encountered had a continuing theme of excessive alcohol use and abuse, with them separating and then days later getting back together. The saga constantly repeated itself.
Some might claim that I’m preaching here, but for me, I simply try to go through life with eyes wide open.
“Eddie moved to Havasu in the summer of ’94.
He was a recently retired manager at Montgomery Wards.
Took his big pension and bought a house, speedboat, and pricey cars.
After 40 years of work, he thought he deserved much, much more.
*****
Eventually, the juice went up, including gas, trash, and water.
His wife then got extremely hot under the collar.
Especially when hubby made her take a job at Family Dollar.
While he stayed home, downing beers with a good friend, Roger.
*****
Over time, Ed was forced to sell his many pristine toys.
Even a bright red 1961 Corvette, his pride and joy.
Ann soon met a wealthy man from Chicago, Illinois.
A snowbird, he sweet-talked her into cutting the cord.
*****
Eddie was left with an old house falling apart.
And a 2006 Grand Cherokee that would barely start.
Seeing the ill of his ways, he let Jesus change his heart.
Back on his feet, Ed gave up drinking, which was more than smart.
*****
Before long, the wife returned, and Eddie took her back.
Both now go to church, singing songs, free from the past.
It’s obvious to me that this marriage will finally last.
No thanks to Budweiser, but through the grace of Jesus Christ.”
Colossians 3:13-14
I like to write junk... 