Choose your "battles" wisely...

I have been reading The Help via my new Kindle (thank you husband). Although I am not finished, I highly recommend this book. Hopefully I'll still hold that recommendation after I'm finished reading. Nonetheless, the book has made me think. Think about how life use to be during segregation. Think about how different things are now, but that we could still do to go further. Think about how much two words can mean in various circumstances--two words: thank you.

Do you say thank you to your waiter or waitress when they fill your glass or bring your food? Do you thank the bagger at the grocery store when he/she offers to take your cart to your car? Do you say thank you when a complete stranger holds the door for you? This "battle" is one people should choose to have with others. Imagine how the world might be if we all said thank you more. Think about the positive chain reaction that could happen if you said thank you to someone. I guess I could continue our conversation about this topic, but honestly...just think about it next time. Often times, what we say has a serious (unknown) impact on others. I would feel better knowing I did everything I could to make it positive.



So another battle...one with the spouse. It is encouraging to know that my husband and I can get through projects with little argumentations. I know people don't always work well together and see differently on certain things, but we somehow manage to work things out pretty well. Today our project consisted of putting up two new pictures in our dining room. Unfortunately, we already had a picture up on that wall, which was centered; therefore, we had  to decide if we wanted to center one of the new pictures or deal with a hole. We dealt with a hole, obviously.

Along the way, we had disagreements on how to measure, how to center, how this that and the other. But not once, did we raise our voices. No need to do so. It was pleasant and finished in just a short hour or so (which includes some driving time to Lowe's because we didn't realize we'd need picture hooks). Maybe there's a level of trust between us so far that comes with the territory of doing our projects. He knows that I like numbers, being a math person and all, so he let's me handle the adding, dividing and such. That's not to say he can't, but he let's me do that stuff. I don't know much about the "hardware" side of things, like how much strength those picture hooks should have--30lbs or 50lbs or 100lbs? So obviously those decisions fall to him.




As we will continue to grow in our marriage, I believe our trust will continue to grow as well. I am happy and pleased with the outcome. I think we will definitely look at the wall and think pleasant thoughts (as we did when we got home an hour ago). Project arguments...definitely a battle worth throwing up your white flag for.