We Can Love Them

One of my favorite movies is A River Runs Through It. It is based on a true story of Paul and Norman Maclean, two brothers who grew up in Montana at the turn of the twentieth century. It is told through the eyes of Norman who was a writer. Their father was a Presbyterian minister who taught his sons about God, life, and his favorite pastime fly fishing. Paul, (my namesake) is the more adventurous of the two, even reckless, there isn't anything he can't do better than Norman. However Paul is self destructive, he drinks and he gambles and finally it catches up with him. He is murdered over a gambling debt. There is a scene after Paul has died when his father is giving a sermon, he describes his past situation with Paul, without mentioning his name. He preaches that "we can seldom help those who are closest to us" This is true for each every one of us. There are those family members who for whatever reason, shut the door on us. They cry for help, but they reject it. The pain inside can become too much and tragedy results. We are left with the what ifs and we should haves. We feel quilt, but really the only thing we could have done is to pray for them and leave it in God's hands.