When Mike offered to blow up the air mattress I smiled broadly. He knows how much fun I think it is to move from our bedroom to the living room and camp alongside our dog. Shadow loves it when we all sleep side by side – us on our bed and Shadow on her dog pillow snuggled close to us. It may seem only a small, silly thing. After all, we are both still inside our own home; we are still on a mattress; and our morning routine does not change.
If Mike never indulged this frivolous request, I don’t suppose any harm would be done. I wouldn’t have to worry when Shadow demands pets and paws at the fragile air-filled boxed bed in her attempt at early morning play. I wouldn’t have to navigate my electric radio cord to make sure it reached to my side of the mattress but was in no danger of tripping either my husband or my pet.
In a successful marriage, attention must of course be paid to the necessities of fidelityand love. Couples that have these perhaps have more than most. I am indeed grateful that Mike and I share these values; life is good. If that was all I ever had in our relationship, I could be happy. I daresay the majority of twosomes would.
Thankfully, I have not had to settle for merely good. Once we got the taste of being indulged in the little things, our marriage went to the next level. It’s not all one-sided; it was never intended to be. I am convinced that laughter cloaked in thoughtfulness is the key. Inside jokes, knowing glances and private gestures only understood by the soul mate across the room – these are the ingredients for a lifelong love affair with the person whose life you share.
What does your spouse enjoy? What makes him smile? It doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavor. It need not cost anything but the time and effort to let your husband know you remember how much a little extra effort means to him. It never hurts to do something a slight bit on the crazy side now and then, even if it means a blown up air mattress scrunched into the living room to make your wife and dog happy. Even indoor camping can do a world of good for married bliss.
This isn’t a marriage related comment but camping related. My son Eli loved to go “camping” when he came to visit me in Nashville. We would put twin bed mattresses on the screened in porch and “camp.” It kept the bugs out but we would still get wet if it rained! But the “Eli go camping with Daddy?” was priceless.
Camping with Eli sounds like a blast! That time you spent with him was a priceless memory he will treasure for a lifetime. Thanks for sharing that story.