It was a rainy day in December and I was celebrating another year around the sun. The day started like any other day . I heated the water for our coffee and then sat down to write in my new journal. I was soon joined by our dog wanting his morning one on one time and my husband’s husky voice saying “good morning”.
As I was writing my morning pages, a ritual I started in September through reading The Artists Way, my husband handed me an unwrapped four-pack of socks and said “They told me they were magical. Happy Birthday!”
I would be lying if I said everything was alright. Socks for my birthday? In my head I had imagined a gift card to a local spa, UofO memorabilia or maybe a ring since I lost my wedding band on a recent trip to the coast. It was a defining moment in our relationship, a lesson in mindfulness for me and a reminder that my happiness is an inside job.
I love getting older. My understanding deepens. I can see what connects. I can weave stories of experience and apply them. I can integrate the lessons. Things simply become more and more fascinating. Beauty reveals itself in thousands of forms. – Victoria Erickson
We have to be able to take responsibility for our emotions. I say it all the time — the thing you can control in any situation is your attitude and your reaction. I’ve made mistakes in the past. I definitely did not want to make him feel bad as though he had done something wrong, when his heart was in the right place. A present is a present.
And I know one thing for sure, one person is responsible for my happiness – and it is not my husband. And then I thought about
- Sunday mornings when he brings me a second cup of coffee during our weekly recording of the Squirrelly Mamas Chatter Podcast;
- Every 5000 miles I take my car over to his shop and he makes sure the oil is changed and everything is in good working order so I will be safe;
- How he builds a fire in the wood stove because he knows I hate to be cold;
- If we need anything from Costco, he makes sure to pick it up if he can find it;
- He has never once complained about my lack of cooking skills;
- Whenever I mention an upcoming girls road trip, he is supportive; and
- Makes sure I know what the weather and road conditions will be;
- He doesn’t mind that I wanted to let my hair go grey;
- When I let him know when I’ll be home, he always responds “we’ll still be here.”
Everything I need I already have.
The socks from my husband are a gift of comfort, both literally and figuratively. They are practical and useful. And more importantly, even though socks might seem small and insignificant, they were an important reminder of how lucky I am 365 days a year to have my self-giving husband.
I had a beautiful birthday. There were video chats, calls and texts from family and friends; a video from our grandchildren singing the birthday song and the gift of original artwork by our granddaughter. I recorded personal video greetings and sent them to some of the women in my life. I helped a friend. My husband brought home take-out from our favorite restaurant for our birthday dinner date and we watched a comedy while sharing my favorite dessert Creme Brûlée.
And all day long, my feet were warm and cozy … inside my magical socks.
