Sub-level

"Love is patient, love is kind." If you're any kind of believer you have heard 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13 many many times. God, living in us, should make us more like him, and we "should" act like the chapter.

Wednesday, Ron was late taking his Neurontin. When he finally woke up he was in pretty extreme pain, and took an extra tablet. It's an anti-seizure medication but it works with the nerve pain.

Ron has had a very difficult time coming to terms with my brain damage. He would say things like "That's a SUB-LEVEL mistake! That's completely unaccceptable!" Perhaps I had forgotten my keys. Once I left my wallet at home and had to go back for it, leaving him at the restaurant. I was about 19 at the time.

Anyway, he always had the attitude that some mistakes were OK, but some were "Sub-level". He would reserve especially cruel comments and name-calling for the "Sub-level" mistakes.

So, he took an extra tablet on Wednesday. Thursday, he left his security badge in the taxi when he got out. Then a series of other mistakes he'd classify as sub-level. When Ron makes a mistake, it's tempting, very tempting to serve him the leftovers of what he's always served me. Especially, in the case of the badge, when he says my badge is "safer" left with him because "He doesn't lose things."

I just went outside, waited, got it, and gave it back to him. Other mistakes. I wondered what was going on - normally he's a little sharper than this. And isn't it painful when Ron says "Boy, you're so STUPID today? What is WRONG with you?" So, I didn't.

Hopefully, I can model the kind of behavior I'd like to see when I screw up. Besides, love is patient, love is kind, love doesn't keep a record of wrongs (working on that one), etc. Do it for Jesus, if not for Ron.

Anyway, we finally left. Ron commented again that he didn't know what had happened. "Did you take an extra Neurontin on Wednesday?" Oh, yeah, he did. You mean, THAT?

"It's sure true for me with my lithium. If I have to take an extra tablet I'm not as sharp the next day."

OOOOOH! Who knows, maybe it'll stick, and maybe next time I make a mistake he'll be a little kinder. I hope so.