Episode 6: "I Wish I Could Forget You"

Wow!! What a fantastic episode!! Marriage seems to be the topic of the day for DH fans.

Although the final scene with Susan running down the middle of the street in a wedding dress was way over-the-top, the rest of the episode was fantastic. As we look at the relationships within the bounds of marriage, we see that there are many things that make it work.

For Mike, honesty is most important. When a trust is broken with lies or deception, Mike feels that a person has one chance and then it's over. So naturally when Susan screws up, he's out the door. It's true that no relationship could survive under those restrictions. The reality of life is that people disappoint. People lie. They break trust, and forgiveness is necessary to press on in a relationship. For now, it looks like Mike is gone. But, perhaps he will learn a little from others who have forgiven him and come back in a later episode.

For Bree, we discover that relationships carry on even after loss. Although death separated Bree and Rex, I also thought of people who have been divorced and those whose relationships have fallen apart after many years. Whether people die or leave our lives for other reasons, we suffer the loss of those years invested. Relationships are forever. People make a lasting impression on our lives, regardless of how long we live with them. The same is true for us. It is important, then, to choose carefully how we treat one another in the time that we have together. Last week, Bree was appalled that Rex could have thought she killed him. She thought that her years of service and love for Rex didn't deserve such an accusation. However, it was the very last year of their lives together that had the greatest impact on Rex's beliefs, not the twenty years of faithfulness. Clearly, the actions and attitudes we take toward our loved ones leave an indelible impression on them. That's why Christ emphasized so much that we love one another. Our love for one another ultimately reflects his love for us, which is unconditional. Although we tend to place many conditions on our love, those times that we do love each other are a great reminder of the kind of relationship God wants to have with us.

Gabrielle makes a huge leap in this episode and I love her character so much more after the stunt she pulls on the lawyer. Seeing through the lies and exposing others' deception is another element that keeps relationships alive. Many times we suffer from the "grass is greener on the other side" syndrome, but it's usually a lie. Everyone has problems, and switching partners often only means switching problems. I like to say, "New levels, new devils." It's just the nature of relationships. In Gabrielle's case, she recognizes that the new lawyer only has his own interests in mind, which is the case for most extramarital affairs. Any legitimate relationship will do what is best to benefit the other person. Although it's best to avoid conversations about marriage with someone who is attractive, these conversations happen. In those cases, a true friend will encourage the struggling person to work through the problems they have with their spouse rather than help them justify an escape. 1 Corinthians 13:4 says, "Love is patient, love is kind....it is not self-seeking...love does not delight in evil but rejoices iwth the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Lastly, Lynette and her hubby recognize that a little self-indulgence can help a relationship make it through the toddler years. The toddler years are arguably the most difficult, frustrating years of a person's life. At a time when parents are being spent to the very last, cultivating some self-esteem can help them make it through another day. It is dangerous to neglect ourselves and our relationships for the sake of kids. If we fail to be well-balanced individuals, we cannot possibly impact them for the greatest good. While self indulgent purchases like new suits and golf clubs can be effective, they are ultimately bandaid approaches. I'm not knocking them, though. I'll admit that a trip to the mall or a box of chocolates in the middle of summer can be very fulfilling for me! But, true strength and renewal comes from maintaining our relationships with God. Christ taught that we are to love God first, and then love others. How can we love others when our own "love tank" is empty? As we maintain that relationship with God, it is a kind of self-indulgence like no other. A few moments alone with my Bible can often encourage me for several weeks while that trip to the mall only lasts a day.

This episode was a lot of fun and I think it had a lot to say about relationships. It's interesting to note that the Bible uses marriage as a metaphor for the relationship between Christ and believers. I think the same things that make marriages work on earth can make our spiritual relationships thrive: trusting God, receiving forgiveness, cultivating a loving relationship with our God (as opposed to one that is driven by fear or guilt), exposing lies that would draw us away from Christ, and indulging ourselves with time in the Word of God.