"Old" Starts with "O", Too

I was just watching 20/20, and the show was about kids with Progeria. Progeria is a very rare disease that ages children at an accelerated pace. So, they spotlighted these two, cute six-year old girls with osteoporosis, arthritis, and the like. There are less than a hundred known cases of Progeria in the world at this time, and most don't live past the age of 13.

Barbara Walters was talking to the parents of one of the little girls (and they really are little: three feet high and 20 pounds a piece) and asked if having a child with progeria affected their marriage. They both agreed that it absolutely did…it brought them closer as a couple.

Wow! That's incredible. Having a child you know that you will probably outlive would be hard for any individual, but I could also seeing it being an obstacle in a marriage. Knowing your time is limited, as a parent, you may feel it okay to neglect your connection to your spouse, because their time is not as limited as your child's. Yet, these parents saw this experience as an opportunity to strengthen what they'd already built together.

And, I believe that is so crucial for the ineveitable day when they lose their child. Having created a strong connection with your spouse when tragedy strikes, instead of feeling abandoned, alone or taking out your frustration on your partner, you will have built a relationship that allows you to support one another.

We need to be reminded to accept difficult circumstances as chances to become closer as a couple, and not farther apart. Obstacles or opportunities, they both start with "O" but one can drive us apart and the other can bring us together. As I saw with these parents of the little old, young girl, it's merely a choice we make.