He must become greater, I must become less.

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We (me and my family) can relate with that on personal level. This Holy Bible verse "He must become greater, I must become less", we had been on that "become greater" side only this past year. My uncle who was my aunt's (Dad's sister) husband had been working and living in another city for last couple of years. My aunt and their two kids (boy 12, girl 9) live ten minutes away from us. He was a very good person. Funny, broad minded, open, honest. But he had one flaw. He was alcoholic. It was only recent. He was struggling with it. Still life was going on. Everything was good. Almost one and a half years ago, things changed. He became cold towards everyone. His parents, siblings, wife. Even his kids who he used to spoil rotten. His daughter whom he prayed and asked God to bless him with, he turned cold to her too. We were flabbergasted and were upset at him for his behaviour. It wasn't until last summer when my aunt recieved a call from my uncle's sister informing her that my uncle is in the hospital, things cleared out. My aunt took her kids there that very night and a day later she arrived there, he passed away. In truth, he was secretly working on his addiction and trying to get better. He even checked himself into a rehab. And no one knew about this. Not even his mother and his siblings. Only a close friend of his knew about it. But at one of his health check ups, he recieved very bad news. He knew he didn't have much time. So, he deliberately and gradually started cutting ties with every single person from his family. Now we remember his cryptic comments, we understand him better. He made sure that his kids needed their Mom more than himself, their father. He started to taunt his wife saying things he never did before. Those taunts made my aunt to stand stronger and fight for her kids. He helped her by becoming the bad guy. Prepared her to tackle the storm coming her way by himself becoming the trouble. He did all that so that she and his kids could move on. To make things better in the long run. "He must become greater, I must become less." He made us greater and made himself scarce or less in his family's life. (Photo by Pixabay)