Love's Interpretations

Sometimes the people we love are endearing to us for not only the things they do, but by the things they say. I love my husband more because of  his choice of tender words at a time of sadness, his message of hope when I'm discouraged, and his sweet compliments when I'm feeling a bit insecure. Simple words can manipulate the heart into beating more completely...

Of course, the opposite happens occasionally...when words fall out of his mouth that not only hurt, but actually carry a thousand sharp swords and a sack of dynamite. When - instead of choosing words like "delightfully-puffy" "slightly-bloated" or "attractively amplified" - he mistakenly says "fat".

Or on days when I look especially worn out, nice words like "mature" "seasoned" or "vintage" seem to escape his vocabulary and he just tells me I look "old".

Oh, I can live with that. He always has been one to keep unnecessary flowery language down to its simplistic form. One thing I can say about my husband is that he is brutally honest. I would much rather he be that than a compulsive liar.

 (And, believe me -putting a mirror in front of his face never seems to have the effect I'm hoping for.)

Somehow it all balances out. That's what true love is all about. You wear your armor when needed and shield yourself from taking things too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself when the occasion calls for it.

Then there are the rare times when words fall into a strange, offbeat and perhaps a bit psycho
category. Words that are so unpredictable and uncommon that you aren't really sure if they are
positive or negative. You find yourself wondering if they are words of endearment or repulsion.

For example: My husband and I were lying in bed last night watching TV, when he points his nose to the ceiling and says, "What 's that smell?"

I breathe in.

Nothing.

"Hmmmm...don't know." I tell him.

He turns toward me and sniffs.
" It's you."

I smile and ask, " Apple shampoo? The perfume you got me for Valentines Day? My coconut moisturizer?"

No, he says. "You smell like a pork chop."

Now- right then and there I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, to hit him or hug him, to be totally offended or modestly flattered.

 I have found no marriage guide which diagrams the steps of long term harmony and commitment
 that explains just exactly what category smelling like a pork chop falls into.

And you know why? Because they don't make one!!!

There are no written directions on how to respond when something so freakishly weird spurts from your spouses utterances.

"Pork chop?" I ask, still uncertain of how I should react.

"Uh-huh.." he says, snuggling closer and smiling contentedly...quietly closing is eyes and drifting off to sleep.

That's another wonderful and versatile thing about true love. You can interpret spoken words any way you see fit.

So, I'll just take it as a compliment and leave it at that.

This time...