When to step in and when to not? Do I just stand as a pillar of encouragement and love? Or do I come riding in a horse trying to save the day?

Of course, posed in that silly way, I do not come into save the day.

But looking back, could something have been done?

I know I am writing in such a cryptic way. Some friends of mine are going through some issues and I am trying to decide whether I should stay observant as I have been or whether I should say something.

In fact, just writing this means I am butting in. I mean, what's to stop them from reading my blog? What's to stop someone after figuring it out to mention it to either one of them?

But it all leads to a question that only mildly pertains to them: Where is the line?

When my parents were going through some issues, some of my mom's friends backed away. They pulled out of her life, either because they didn't know how to handle it, they didn't want to address something that they might have to deal with or they didn't want to have to choose.

It's hard seeing people you care about go through so much pain. I was in my early 20s when my parents went through some really bad times and somehow landed on their feet. It didn't affect me because I was fresh in college, striving for my own independence. I also didn't want to hear about it. Shamefully, I think back on the moments when either of my parents reached out to me, either for support or encouragement or just to talk and I shrugged them off.

Luckily, as I said, they worked through them. They both wanted to keep the 20+ marriage going. Now, without any kids in the household, it feels like their marriage is stronger than ever.

A couple of years ago I watched another couple go through some bad times. It all worked out for the better. Although the extreme seemed shocking at the time, they have gone on, grown and matured in ways they probably wouldn't have had they stayed together.

But with those two examples, it's hard to say to those going through tough times to "work it out" because we never really know what's going on, we never really know who that person is going to become with or without their partner.

Either way, it makes me look at Chris and my heart swell knowing that we have chosen each other to be with, to love. And that any problems we come across, we will work them out. Or at least try. And I think that will have made all the difference.