"My Father/My Husband" By: David J. Lawless

The essay, “My Father/My Husband” was written about the author’s wife who suffered from Alzheimer’s and dementia to inspire other couples going through difficult times that with effort and understanding, a relationship will thrive. This nonfiction piece has been featured on multiple publications as well as received various awards such as Prism’s 2011 Nonfiction Award. This short story describes multiple, repetitive conversations that David and his wife encountered on a day to day basis concerning her father’s death, where they live, and whether or not he was actually her husband. While some may find this to be a huge strain on a relationship, he found a way to adjust and maintain his love for his wife and fulfilling his promises to never leave her. He was able to convey that with even under the most difficult conditions, love will remain with limitless effort through the constant repetition of conversations. Throughout the essay many conversations between David and his wife occurred more than once, this could begin to bother the audience, only leading them to imagine what it was like to live under those circumstances, yet at the end show their love in a simple kiss. Despite the constant repetition on his life, he unconditionally loved his wife and refused to let her health take away from their happiness. Also, the extensive use of dialogue did not allow for any dramatic irony; therefore, the audience was only able to see and understand as much as David does. This caused the essay to be even more realistic and easy to comprehend. The repetitive conversations expressed throughout the story were often about his wife’s father, Madrid, or their relationship. The content of these conversations represents the importance of family to his wife. Although she suffered from multiple health problems and typically did not know much about the present day, she still maintained the values of her family. This constant value is why David Lawless was able to maintain his unconditional love for his wife, even though her mind was often lost, she still honored and loved him.

Infinite Love
URL: http://heoloveme.blogspot.com