SimonSimple

Hi People

Early this morning whilst I was sleeping, nature called and I tried to get up. I tried but I cried instead. I cried out silently at first and then when I could not bear it any longer I whimpered and then wailed out loud.

My dear wife, my body warmer for the last 30 years, was roused from her deep slumber. She knew well enough what the trouble was - a cramp had seized me. “Which leg?” she enquired, and proceeded to give me a leg massage. Shortly after, she got up and returned with a warm towel and wrapped it round the tensed up muscles. She was at it for quite a while and finally succeeded in easing my pain.

You must understand that this was a big thing for me because for her, once she is awakened from her slumber, her sleep & rest is interrupted. She will be as wide awake as an owl in the night! I thanked her profusely but she reminded me, ever so gently that I must not hesitate to wake her up should I encounter another seizure. What tender thoughts. She really loves me. I really love her too. She is my wife, the mother of our children. More importantly, she is my very dear partner and great friend. I will always cherish her.

Her World magazine asked me recently for a quote as to why divorces are on the rise. I said that it is because we don’t cherish our spouses enough. Longman’s dictionary defines ‘cherish’ thus:

1. to hold dear; feel or show affection for
2. to keep or cultivate with care and affection; nurture
3. to keep in the mind deeply and with affection

If we learn to cherish the people around us, there is little need for break-ups to happen. Your loved ones - TREASURE THEM!

Hi People

The other day, I was with my wife doing a weekend workshop for some 25 couples. There was a topic entitled “Love is in the Pair”. Essentially the teaching is about how a happy and successful marriage must have both the elements of friendship and love between husband and wife. Afterall, didn’t we all start off being friends? Even if your marriage was match-made, you only got to know one another better as if you were courting one another.

We have come across many couples, married for 3 months or 3 years or 30 years lamenting about the bad choice they made in their life-long partner. There is this joke that goes like this “A woman marries a man, hoping that he’ll change, but he doesn’t. A man marries a woman, hoping that she’ll change, but she does!” It’s a bad joke.

In our 30-year marriage, I dare say that my wife and I are the best of friends. I am happy and proud to say of my wife, “She’s mine.” I am proud of her. She allows me to influence her, and I allow her to influence me. We don’t need to control our spouses, we only need to influence them.

I started my life-long courtship of my wife some 40 years ago, I am still at it. We began as good friends, got married, and are now the best of friends - A Full Circle!

Some 25 years ago, I became a first-time father. As my children grew from the age of instruction, to imitation, to inspiration, and into the age of independence & interdependence, I have found that whereas I used to guide them as they learned to walk and run and learn new things, they now guide me along on busy street corners or the use of modern gadgets and the computer. The teacher is also a student. When they were younger, I sometimes pretended that I needed help. Nowadays, there is no need for that. I really do need help. I have always enjoyed teaching and imparting all that I know. Now I enjoy learning and being taught new things. I enjoy being a student all over again - A Full Circle!

A lesson here - What goes round, comes around. Take care how you teach. You know not what is caught!