"I don't think I can do this any more." "Yes, you can. You only have five more radiation treatments to go. " I held my wife Becky close. Ever since the breast cancer diagnosis  , she had tried hard to be strong for the kids and for me.   When her diagnosis came, my first thought was there was no way I could lose my wife. The doctors assured us the cancer was discovered early so we were feeling positive. Becky had received an operation and was recovering from it. After six weeks of radiation therapy , she was facing her final five treatments. She was weak and tired, in low spirits. Seeing her suffering, I felt so helpless and powerless. As soon as I was outside, long-held frustration and anger erupted in me like a volcano. I took a hammer and suddenly was swinging as hard as I could, beating heavily on the front porch . While doing so, I imagined I was beating my wife's cancer. With all my strength, I destroyed the porch. During the treatment, my wife had been very brave. She said she had it easy, but I don't think it was easy for her. Seeing the porch gone, Becky shook her head at the window. I came into the room, not knowing how she would react to what I had done. "Becky, are you mad at me?" She looked at me in surprise. "For what?" I pointed at the gate. "For tearing down the porch." She laughed. "Look how sunny this room is now. I love that it's bright in here." "You comforted me in my darker hour, Vince. You've found a way to deal with your own frustration. By destroying the porch, you let the sunshine in." As I looked around the brightened room, I realized the light that filled the space was the light of hope that shone so bright after the darkness. We never did re-build the porch. How did the author's wife feel about him seeing the porch gone?
Sympathetic Angry Understanding Happy