“Where would you be without your wife?” I asked, sitting on a light gray loveseat in my therapist’s office. In July, my wife Erin and I will be married for 30 years, and I can honestly say I have never been asked or thought about where I would be without her. The question hit me so hard that I stayed quiet for at least a minute, staring at an artificial flower arrangement.
It took me a few days after that session to fully digest what I had been asked. As a person, like many, I have been dealing with multiple decades worth of PTSD traumatic events which along with behavior at times puzzled me and finally led me to seek a professional to help me.
Getting back to the main question, I can again, honestly say that without my wife I would be what you might call a miserable loner. I would have self-isolated most likely in Michigan on the shores of Lake Huron simply because it is close to downtown Detroit.
I would work, go home, and drink too many beers watching whatever sports game season it was. If I’m being honest, I would not eat healthy. I would want nothing to do with people outside of whatever job I worked; even coworkers would not interest me.
Being married to Erin has forced me in a good way to push through and see the good in people, places, and events. To be clear my wife does not and never has forced me to do anything, I do not believe you can force anyone to do anything. Instead, Erin encourages me to do and try things which helps my thought process.

I have been covering the Columbus Blue Jackets from the press box and have found them to be enjoyable. I actually speak to other journalists and have found non-hockey relatable things.
I have never thought about taking my own life and I do not think I have depression, but that’s a lie, I’m in therapy trying to quiet the daily thoughts and memories that in a way haunt me. I use that term lightly as I am a Christ follower and my struggles are not from Him but a result of other’s actions.
Praise God I do not have to think about where I would be without my wife, just the thought of that frightened me for a few days. I love my wife and all that she has done for me even the things she does not know about.