Encouraging Around the World

Divorce Around the World!

Well, actually that title is maybe a little unclear.  Because I am not going to explain all the different laws and practices regarding divorce in various countries.  (At least, not now.  That actually might be something kind of interesting to explore!)  But, if you are like me, you found Glenn’s article about divorce in the Philippines (or lack thereof) pretty fascinating.  Glenn has promised me some more blogs, so you will be hearing from him again.  About the time I was looking over what he sent, I had also been visiting the blog statistics, and was struck by something I wanted to share. 

The internet being what it is, the blog ends up bouncing around the world.  In our statistics, we found that in that particular week, page visits from China were about half the number of our United States visitors!  I thought that was pretty interesting, so I read .  Next was Lithuania, followed by Poland.  There were countries in the Middle East, in Southeast Asia, and South America.  I thought back to the other times I have reviewed the blog stats, and there is a follower in Zambia, have been a number in the Ukraine, various countries in Europe, including Monte Negro and…well, you get the idea.  And that doesn't count the people who don’t read it directly through my own blog, but read it in Paperblog, which regularly posts the blogs.  That brings in a lot of the English speaking world especially, but other places as well.  

That’s a lot of places, isn't it?  For those of you outside of the United States, let me tell you my thanks for stopping by my blog.  I’m touched that you are interested in it, and I hope that once in a while, it has something helpful for you in your situation.

Have you guessed the point of this blog yet?  No, it is NOT about the fact that words I write go all these places.  That is a by-product of my point.  

The point is that, no matter which country you reside in, marriage is tough, and divorce is even tougher.  Wherever you go, there are people whose lives and families have been torn apart by the processes of divorce.  

Perhaps there are some countries like the Philippines, where the word “divorce” isn't used, but the reality of life is that it might as well be, because the experience is virtually the same for far too many.  I once read, too, that statistically, the number of divorces ends up being about the same whether the country practices arranged marriages or marriages by courtship such as the United States.  So there are people hurting all around the world.  There are hearts breaking all around the world.  There are single parents trying to eke out an existence, and trying to find some answers all around the world.  Sometimes it is far too easy not to see them when we are busily living our lives day by day.  But they are there.  And, as evidenced by the readers of my blog, they are looking for somebody who cares, and who can offer them a ray of hope and a bit of encouragement.  Maybe they are your neighbors, and it might mean more to them for someone next door to show they care than to find hope in words from halfway around the world on a computer or iphone.  Thanks to you who read.  I encourage you to look around to see who is near at hand who can use the same kind of encouragement as I try to send.  And maybe those people might want to know about this blog, too.  Maybe, just maybe, if we offer that encouragement early enough, they might just not end up in divorce, but find healing for their marriages, instead.

Glenn, thanks for the good word from the Philippines.  For the rest of you, what’s the good word where YOU live?

TL:dr  The trauma of divorce is a worldwide experience, to which each of us could probably become more sensitive.