Profiles in Courage: Mr. Paul and Elsa

November 2, 2018

When a young couple gets married, magic happens. Possibilities are endless. Families gather around to witness. Vows are spoken with great emotion. People kick off their shoes at the reception and dance until they can barely take another step. The next day comes and we find ourselves reminiscing about everything that happened the night before. Weddings are magical.

Elsa and Mr. Paul were married for nearly fifteen years. They were divorced for nearly the same. And then they were married again. Everyone knew it was going to happen the minute they separated. They knew it when Paul moved only two miles away from his ex-wife. They knew it when he called nearly every day and when he vacationed with Elsa and their daughters. They knew it when they had dinner at each other’s homes and were such an important part of each other’s lives. They just didn’t know how and when it was going to happen.

When Mr. Paul’s life changed with a diagnosis, Elsa says that she didn’t think about it – she scooped him up and brought him back home. That’s commitment. When asked about that seemingly simple word, she says that commitment to her is like putting a safety net under someone else. If we could all live our lives with such a safety net, with an Elsa, we would live with security, knowing that no matter what, someone loyal and caring is right there to catch us when we fall and if needed, to bring us home and put our needs in front of her own when we require it the most.