Well, wouldn't it be nice if we could approach each day as a new beginning. Maybe even "think with the mind of a beginner" each day?
But with the added bonus of knowing now what we didn't know then.
Sheesh...how many times have I heard someone say offhand how nice it would be to go back and do high school again knowing what we know now as adults.
Theoretically it would mean that we would do it RIGHT this time. That we would soak every ounce of worth and value out of that experience. That we would ask out the crush this time. That we would step in and stop the bully this time. That we wouldn't be afraid to take a chance on the tough class that we passed on last time.
You're not a beginner Neil.
You've learned and you've become smarter about how to take care of YOU while you're trying to take care of your family.
You've learned that you can't control how your wife responds to you.
You've learned that becoming a better man, a better father, a better husband is worth every single ounce of effort it requires.
You've learned that when you are confident and secure in who YOU are, your wife notices. Sometimes when she notices it is a good response, and sometimes it causes her to withdraw for some reason.
So you've learned not to ANTICIPATE or EXPECT specific responses from her, knowing instead to trust yourself and go with the flow.
Here's to all of us approaching each day with the beginners mindset:
- I CAN do this - I WILL do this - My marriage is WORTH however hard this might be - I won't be misled by her words at all, and rarely by her actions - I KNOW my spouse still has love for me in his/her heart, and becoming the STRONG me is my best chance to help him/her rediscover it
...rather than allow the weariness of weeks and months and sometimes years, beating us down into submission.
And yet, at the same time, here's to all of us LEARNING our lessons and becoming more efficient at doing the things we need to do. To becoming less prone to slipping into old habits.
Strength and honor.
Blessings,
Bill
"Don't tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon."
