They All Fall Down

Have you ever played the game Jenga? It’s the wooden block game where blocks start all nicely stacked and the players take turns pulling a block from the foundation of the tower and then stack it on top to make it taller. The players do this over and over, ripping out the foundation while trying to build the tower until CRASH they all fall down. The one who makes the tower fall is the loser but the truth is, everyone playing is at fault. You go into the game knowing it’s all going to crash down around you. You just don’t know when.

So many marriages are played out just like the game Jenga. The couple takes turns ripping out the foundation of the relationship, while trying to build a life together, only to have it come crashing around them. It’s easy to blame the one who pulled out the last piece, but the truth is that both ripped it apart. And unfortunately, many also go into marriage or relationships these days expecting it to crash because crumbling relationships are all they’ve known.

I would say it’s never too late to put back what’s been ripped out, if both people are willing to keep building. If trust is an issue, become trustworthy. If poor communications has ripped at the foundations, start communicating. If you’re no good talking face to face, text, email, Facebook. Sounds silly but some people communicate better that way because they won’t be interrupted and they feel free to be honest. If finding time for each other is the problem, make the time.

Jenga is going to always end in a mess with lots of pieces to be picked up, but marriage doesn’t have to be like that.