Emphasis Preaching Journal

"Some years ago, there was an American television series titled, Thirty-Something. One episode went this way: A group of men, all married, had gathered for a men-only evening at a downtown hotel. One of the men, several years married, found himself attracted to one of the hotel managers, an attractive woman, with whom he had to deal all evening in terms of arranging food, music, and drink. She was attracted to him too and, though nothing other than practical talk passed between them during the evening, the romantic chemistry intensified. Gender-magic was doing its old tricks.

"As the evening was ending, both did what comes naturally, they lingered near each other, not knowing what to say, but sensing a special connection they were reluctant to break off. They covered this by making practical talk about cleaning up the room and settling the bills. Finally, the moment came to part. The man stalled, thanking her yet again for her help and graciousness, and she, not wanting to lose the moment said to him, 'I very much enjoyed meeting you. Would you like to get together again sometime?' The man, guiltily fingering his wedding ring and apologizing for not being more forthright earlier, did what few of us have the moral courage to do. Not without sweating a little blood, he said: 'I'm sorry. I'm married. I should have made that clearer. I need to go home to my wife.' " (Ron Rolheiser, on his website, www.ronrolheiser.com.)

A wedding ring ... a plumb bob ... both symbolic standards to guide our lives. Both are essential.