A friend of both Arne and Joy left the following comment on Facebook, which might provide some insight into the dynamics of the relationship:

Looking beyond the immediate, Arne told me that he is a Christian, and does not believe in other religions.

Joy is very deeply into multiple spiritual paths, including Tibetan Buddhist and Yoruba, and it sounds like a recipe for conflict, as does the fact that Arne and Joy are both type A personalities, and both assume leadership roles, and Joy does not defer to anyone.

Joy is also a global caretaker, and Arne told me he is trying to live with the loss of his wife, your mother and the true light of his life. This is not a recipe for a successful marriage.

Joy will respond to people as whole beings, but she is not going to stay committed exclusively to anyone who does not meet all her needs or flow with all of her engagements and capacities.

I would be concerned with Arne’s potential for berserker rage when he fully realizes this by seeing it in action, whether she relates to others in a way he may want to be exclusively his, or whether she refuses to bend to his will in other ways.

Mark Roest, San Fransisco