Husband life.

Husband life. One of my favorite things (thus the name and website), but oy vey, despite it being my favorite thing about my life, it still kicks my butt on the regular. Maybe it’s because of the trust - or despite the trust - my wife tends to be the one that gets both the best and worst versions of me... sometimes within the same day.

And I know it’s not limited to a “me” thing.

I follow along with and glean from the marriages of those around me. For better and worse.

I strive for the successes seen in others couple’s shining moments, and pump the breaks as I feel like I’m approaching the same mistakes I see others make.

Just today as I’m spending the day of this vacation week seeking the deepest part of my attention to detail in feeding my wife’s love of a clean house through acts of service, here on Insta I gain energy by reading @ashleegadd ‘s latest post, husbandry FTW!

But, I’m also reminded of my friend’s woes as expressed through a random Instagram vulnerability confession.

Marriage is great because by default it means that you have someone else to do life with, so great, and my favorite part, she’s my best friend.

But, sometimes I’m a jerk. Sometimes I say super rude words. Sometimes I am lazy. Other times I don’t communicate well, and all of that adds to full plate of a woman whose brain can’t turn off until all of the checklists are completed.

So, today is a day of acknowledgement and moving forward.

I’m here for the long game and I’ll keep learning and sharing.

Today it’s through vulnerability and truth, but also through friends and by putting really good examples in my ear as I check to-dos off of my checklist. 🙂

How can I be praying for your relationship?

Maybe you don’t want to share publicly or maybe your down with that. 
Feel free to message me. I truly care to know.

I’ll reply as long as it doesn’t interfere with family time. ❤️

Also, who do you follow or look up to in the relationship category? Please share!

Also this is a post that can be shared. My hope and dream is that by speaking the vulnerable stuff in life that most people bury, that it will possibly bring hope and then healing to those around me.

Much love my friends!

Too many bad days.

"Too many bad days" said the former wall street businessman as he sat with his shoulders slumped, melted into that plastic folding chair, on the streets of NYC where he now makes his bed.

Too many bad days had left my friend of nearly 5 years in a void of nothingness that I had never seen in him before...

And this scares me.

The average life expectancy of someone dealing with homelessness is 47 years of age. 47! 
Compared to the rest of us that are expected to live to the age of 77, those among us that are lacking a home live an astonishing 30 years less!

Obviously, it's not just the home itself that leads to this large of an age gap.

Living each day with basic dignity, respect, honestly, even a general "hey, how are you?" throughout the day from an acquaintance helps push us through the day and gives most of us hope for the next day.

But, take away all of those even most basic human interactions and replace them with disgust, ridicule, shame, and repetitive failure to obtain what the world tells us we should obtain, and you (and I) are left with 30 years hacked from this life.

So this truth, this reality, is what scares me for my friend. 
He's already over 47 years old, but he's fading.

The man that I have known over the years to be full of interesting conversation, knowledgeable and witty humor and hope that carries him through till our next conversation, sat there unable to shake my hand or say hello.

"Too many bad days" are sucking the humanity, joy, and ultimately years of life left on this earth, out of my friend.

And so, I'm sad. I'm stuck repeating this phrase in my head.

Too many bad days. Too many bad days.

My heart breaks, tears fill my eyes. And I pray. 
Please stay alive. Please be there tomorrow. God, please send someone else to look past the brokenness and despair. Please send someone that has enough extra joy to share with my lacking friend. Please send a smile, a coffee, even a simple hello. God, please take care of my friend when I can't be there. Thank you. Amen.

Thank you all for loving me while I love others. 
Thank you all for reading these stories.

Feel free to share if you think that this might help someone else see better.

Much love my friends. ❤️

Brett