A Public Declaration of Love
Silly me. When I was a young buck I talked a pretty and wonderful girl into marying me. It was a miracle...dunno why she agreed, but she did. I probably had better powers of pursuasion then than I do now. Anyway, here she is. This wonderful girl kicking around my house day in and day out. It's still a miracle.
So I was hassling her in a subtile way about something and of course she got mad at me....it got me thinking: How much does it hurt me to have cupboards and fridge and freezer and storage room stuffed to the point of explosion? If she wants to keep a bottle of pearl onions in the fridge for 6 years, so what? Cleaning supplies filling every bathroom cupboard and the shelves in the washroom don't hurt me at all. If she wants to grow a garden on top of the fridge, big deal. If she wants to hang dirty dishrags on the sink instead of out of sight it should be her right.
I'm announcing this publicly because I want something written anyone can refer to in the future if I start to slip. I'm officially not worrying about any of the above or anything else any more. If it makes my girl happy, then it is OK with me. She lives in the house 24 hours a day and I'm mostly gone to work so of course it should be comfortable for her. She also has taken responsibility for the house and makes it a comfortable place for me to live so what have I got to complain about? I no longer claim a shelf in the freezer for myself. This is *Marilyn's* house. My trying to get my way does nothing but cause me stress and trouble and usually finding myself in the doghouse. For what? Is my way any better than her way? Of course not. It's just a difference of opinons over things that don't matter.
I'm extremely lucky to have the girl of my dreams, especially after all these years. All the things I've been "worried" about don't make a hill of beans worth of difference and I've decided I'm not going to worry about them any more...period...at all. (The only exceptions are my tool room downstairs and half of the computer room. I reserve those spaces for myself.) I'm going to be less stressed, Marilyn will be happier with me and life will be good. Man, I've been stupid. Why didn't I think of this sooner? Loving kisses and back scratches while I fall asleep at night are worth 5000 freezers overstuffed with freezer burnt food.
Anyway, I love Marilyn...have since I was 16. She's spent countless years raising my kids and putting up with me....*not* an 8 hour a day job. She deserves a retirement to be able to go to the temple and do her geneology and read her scriptures when she wants. If it makes her happy, it will make me happy.
I plan to be less stressed and happier from yesterday on (I told her yesterday). I also plan to not take this wonderful woman for granted any more. Who knows, but this time next year, my picture may be removed from the dictionary entry under "stubborn" like Marilyn says is there now. It's my goal.
So I was hassling her in a subtile way about something and of course she got mad at me....it got me thinking: How much does it hurt me to have cupboards and fridge and freezer and storage room stuffed to the point of explosion? If she wants to keep a bottle of pearl onions in the fridge for 6 years, so what? Cleaning supplies filling every bathroom cupboard and the shelves in the washroom don't hurt me at all. If she wants to grow a garden on top of the fridge, big deal. If she wants to hang dirty dishrags on the sink instead of out of sight it should be her right.
I'm announcing this publicly because I want something written anyone can refer to in the future if I start to slip. I'm officially not worrying about any of the above or anything else any more. If it makes my girl happy, then it is OK with me. She lives in the house 24 hours a day and I'm mostly gone to work so of course it should be comfortable for her. She also has taken responsibility for the house and makes it a comfortable place for me to live so what have I got to complain about? I no longer claim a shelf in the freezer for myself. This is *Marilyn's* house. My trying to get my way does nothing but cause me stress and trouble and usually finding myself in the doghouse. For what? Is my way any better than her way? Of course not. It's just a difference of opinons over things that don't matter.
I'm extremely lucky to have the girl of my dreams, especially after all these years. All the things I've been "worried" about don't make a hill of beans worth of difference and I've decided I'm not going to worry about them any more...period...at all. (The only exceptions are my tool room downstairs and half of the computer room. I reserve those spaces for myself.) I'm going to be less stressed, Marilyn will be happier with me and life will be good. Man, I've been stupid. Why didn't I think of this sooner? Loving kisses and back scratches while I fall asleep at night are worth 5000 freezers overstuffed with freezer burnt food.
Anyway, I love Marilyn...have since I was 16. She's spent countless years raising my kids and putting up with me....*not* an 8 hour a day job. She deserves a retirement to be able to go to the temple and do her geneology and read her scriptures when she wants. If it makes her happy, it will make me happy.
I plan to be less stressed and happier from yesterday on (I told her yesterday). I also plan to not take this wonderful woman for granted any more. Who knows, but this time next year, my picture may be removed from the dictionary entry under "stubborn" like Marilyn says is there now. It's my goal.
Comments
Poor Kim has been trying to train me for 33 years now and it hasn't worked. And that was before it became a truth that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". So I won't miss the harassment a bit. Thanks for your sweet words (that weren't re-pointing out my inadequacies) ;) You won't be sorry!
We ALL have room for improvement and things we could do to make our spouses happier and ourselves less self-centered.