Home > Marriage > Profiles > Portrait of a Marriage: "Rebels with a Cause"
Portrait of a Marriage: "Rebels with a Cause"
Both from broken homes and dysfunctional relationships, Tripp and Barbara Curtis resolved to pursue more for their marriage and family.
by Laura Christianson | posted 9/12/2008
 2 of 6
Wedded bliss lasted about 20 minutes. Immediately after the ceremony, the newlyweds sat down to their wedding dinner at the inn's restaurant. Tripp ordered a dish he'd never tasted: rack of lamb. "I'll never forget the look of horror on Barbara's face as I tore into the rack of lamb," he recalls. Befuddled by Barbara's strange expression, he asked, "What's wrong?"
Mouth agape, Barbara replied, "I just realized what terrible manners you have!"
Wanted: the perfect family
The fact that they married in the first place still causes Tripp and Barbara to scratch their heads in wonder. When they met at AA 26 years ago, Barbara was just beginning to get her life on track after more than a decade of serial drug and alcohol addictions. Tripp, who describes his pre-Barbara persona as "an irresponsible wild boy who refused to grow up," had been sober a year and a half.
Despite that, Barbara and Tripp had much in common: both were oldest children and came from broken homes—their fathers moved out when they were young children. Both were achievement-oriented and on the same page intellectually—they loved to read and discuss ideas.
"So many things have happened that we wouldn't have chosen at the time, but now we can see God's wisdom."
They were on the same level emotionally and spiritually too. "We were both extremely strong-willed and immature," says Tripp, laughing.
When they met, Barbara had been attending AA meetings for two and a half years. Adhering to AA principles, she'd willed her life to a higher power. "This 'higher power' was keeping me sober," explains Barbara. Curious to learn more about the "higher power," Barbara studied New Age spirituality. "Because
I was a radical leftist and a fierce feminist, I had no desire to look into Christianity," she says. "I thought Christians were really stupid." When Barbara met Tripp, the two "spiritual pilgrims" meditated together daily and read the same New Age books, practices they continued after they were married.
On the outside, Tripp and Barbara epitomized the Norman Rockwell family living the American dream. They built a successful tree service business and they owned a nice home in the San Francisco Bay Area. But in private, they fought about everything.
"Because I was older than Tripp and had a history of more responsibility because of having my daughters, I tended to be bossy," admits Barbara. Their strong-willed, powerful personalities clashed continually. "Neither of us knew anything about submission; we both thought we were god," explains Barbara.
We'd really like to know what you think about this article! |
Is this the kind of article you'd like to see more of?
Is there a topic you'd like us to cover?
Please send your suggestions to |
Marriage Partnership
Home | Archives | Contact Us
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Try 3 Issues of Christianity Today Free!
|
 |
|
Subscribe to Christianity Today and get 3 free trial issues. No credit card required.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only.
If you decide you want to keep Christianity Today coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive nine more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The three trial issues are yours to keep, regardless.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| 
RSS Feed
