The Promise

There’s only one promise that I have ever made where I recited a vow in front of witnesses, in a house of God, and signed paperwork afterwards. I, of course, am talking about my wedding vows. Given this level of commitment, it is the promise I hold most sacred. Improbable as it is, as I do not own a gun, I tell my wife of almost 33 years, Sheryl, that I am more likely to kill someone than cheat on her. After all, I never made a promise that I wouldn't kill anyone.

This past week my wife and I took a cruise on The Rock Boat. One part was spending a day on a Norwegian Cruise Line island called Great Stirrup Cay. Sheryl opted to sleep later that day so I took the tender boat from the ship to the island alone. Once there, I plopped our stuff on two beach chairs to stake our claim. While waiting for Sheryl to arrive, two hot girls from the adjacent chairs struck up a conversation. As we talked, I thought to myself, "I think they're hitting on me." I couldn't help but be reminded of Jason Sudeikis' line from the movie Hall Pass where the main character, while with his buddies in a singles bar, exclaims “Man if I wasn't married, I would be doing some serious damage up in here.” Then during our conversation, reality sunk in when one of the girls referred to me as “Sir.”

Comedian Chris Rock once said “A man is only as faithful as his options.” I think most men like to believe they have options but elect not to exercise them because they are better than the average man. Statistically I guess we can't all be better than average. In reality most of us just love our wives. I know I do. Integrity is hard to find among politicians, average Joes, and certainly how men are portrayed on television. Artist Arthur Wood once encoded a message into an album cover to be true to your words and your work. IMHO words to live by.

Fidelity is alive in the lab.