Thoughts On Nicholas Sparks’ Split

I saw an article online that said Nicholas Sparks and his wife have split up after 25 years…TWENTY-FIVE YEARS!?!? I was baffled. Nicholas has been known to credit his wife for inspiring some of his great works. So what the heck happened? I have an idea or two about what might be going on in the Sparks’ marriage.

I love the books!…the movies too, but in most of his writings I find a very naïve and unrealistic theme prevail…If you find your one true love, your life will be perfect and you will live happily ever after (unless of course your one true love dies defending your honor and you spend a lifetime grieving something that can never be replaced because…well…ONE true love.) That’s what Sparks is selling, and I’m guessing his success proves how many people have bought it. It’s a joke! A joke people rely on to be true. 

I believe God intended for Ole Jus and I to spend a lifetime together, so if you use that as the point of reference he must be my ONE TRUE LOVE. But guess what? That’s not what “one true love” means to people when they finish a Nicholas Sparks book. If you are buying what he’s selling then, when your man sees you walk into a room, everything blurs and goes into slow motion. You think kissing standing outside in the middle of a rainstorm is how you makeup after a misunderstanding…of course only if it’s TRUE LOVE. Your idea of the perfect night at home doesn’t include screaming babies, dishes, and bills. I haven’t read all of his books, but I would bet Mr. Sparks doesn’t highlight extreme PMS as part of his keys to a lifetime with your…ONE TRUE LOVE.

My point is this…reality isn’t quite as romantic as we see in books and movies.

I’d like to add that I do believe divorce is necessary for certain circumstances and I don’t know exactly what happened in this case, but my presumption on the Sparks’ split is that they woke up one day and realized REAL LOVE isn’t near as intriguing and exciting as the mysterious “TRUE LOVE” he sells in his books. When things get tough with your spouse, ONE TRUE LOVE ideas tell us, “He/she must not be the one. This isn’t what I signed up for. Someone else wouldn’t treat me this way.” And the worst one, “I married the wrong person.” In crisis, REAL LOVE says, “This sucks, but God ordained this marriage and He knew what he was doing.” REAL LOVE prays. REAL LOVE gets counseling. REAL LOVE makes an effort. REAL LOVE is hard work.

For me, TRUE LOVE doesn’t take me on long walks at the beach, REAL LOVE does the dishes. TRUE LOVE doesn’t shower me with gifts, REAL LOVE provides for our family. TRUE LOVE doesn’t kiss in the rain, REAL LOVE plays guitar every night for the kiddos. TRUE LOVE doesn’t drink coffee with me on the front porch swing at sunrise, REAL LOVE let’s me sleep late on Saturday.  TRUE LOVE doesn’t write sweet love stories, REAL LOVE let’s me use his credit card to buy them. TRUE LOVE doesn’t whisk me away to a faraway land and slay the fire breathing dragon so we can live in the beautiful castle, REAL LOVE forgives extreme PMS (which is kinda like a fire breathing dragon)…FROM THIS SIDE OF THIRTY.