My five sisters in law are an amazing bunch of women and none more so than JP’s wife, Royana.
Roy swept JP off his feet when they were cast as a married couple in a play in L.A. For 50 years, JP had lived the life of swinging, confirmed bachelorhood, the envy of all his friends. Our youngest brother Andy once described JP as “Handsome. Not ‘old ladies pinching his cheek, saying “aren’t you the handsome lad”’ handsome; ‘super models pulling over in sports cars and inviting him to get in’ handsome.” It’s true. He once told me that he was pretty sure his parish priests vied for the opportunity to hear his confessions; living the life of vicarious vice while maintaining their vows. No ties, no responsibilities, total freedom!
Then he met Royana and within minutes realized his life of unfettered adventure was boring, sad and pointless.
So he punched her in the nose and made her marry him.
Okay, that’s a total misrepresentation of what happened but he would have done whatever it took to get her to agree. In the end, she did agree, even though he’s such a dork.
After decades of living in LA, Royana was the first girlfriend JP ever brought home to meet the rest of the family and the reaction was identical to when Tyler first brought Megan up from Texas: “Marry her now or you’re out of the family!!”
It is completely impossible not to love someone with as big a heart as Royana.
This month, she schooled me on what it really means to be pro-life.
The moment she heard that her friend, M, needed a new kidney, she volunteered one of hers. Last week, she flew to Chicago and gave it to him.
She and M are both recovering and doing well!
I donate money to pro-life organizations. Royana donated an organ to save a life.
Everyone who’s ever been to a Christian wedding is familiar with 1 Corinthians 13:4, the “love verses”. You know it: Love is patient, love is kind, blah blah blah… Not as many are familiar with what comes right before that: If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
Roy makes me feel like a noisy gong. A clanging cymbal.
All I gave up for Lent was chocolate.