This morning I woke up thinking of my husband's courtship of me. My first thoughts were we teach people how to treat us by our words, our actions, and what we do not say or do. I expected to be picked at my door. He invited me to drive up for a concert. I declined because he told me he didn't have time to pick me up and it was very short notice. I went out with my girlfriends and to attend a performance of a local band that I knew well. I told my girlfriends, he will call by a quarter to ten. Sure, enough he called me at 9:30. He thought I would be home. I told flat out I was out with my friends. He struggled to wrap his head around it. " Why didn't you just drive up and met up with me for the concert." He pondered this. I told him think about it and call me in the morning. My best friend's husband thought I was being difficult. I told him that I wasn't going to be at anyone's beck and call.
My friends thought I was being rude, until, I told them that I was giving him a lesson how I expected to be treated. I expect to be treated like a lady, not a afterthought. See, I wasn't afraid of being alone. I had a very full life when my now husband met me. My friends thought that this was the end of the romance, however, this one action took it to another level. I woke up this next morning to a florist holding a large flower arrangement with a card telling me lesson learned.
Self-respect and presenting yourself in such a way will lead others to treat you accordingingly. Last summer, we had a very nasty neighbor who cursed me out for saying good morning to him as I watered my flowers by our gate. I was furious. I immediately had my husband go over and speak to him. It didn't go over well. He has since sold the property. Today, I was in the grocery store and he bumped into my heel with his cart. I heard someone say, Sorry. You should have seen his face when I turned around. I smiled, and said " I am going to accept your apology and not curse you out. " He turned bright red. His companion asked him what that was all about. He tells her, "Well, you know how New York accents get on my nerves"
My husband comes over, hears him, and shakes his hand quite firmly. "Oh, Fred, my wife is from Maine. "
My husband just smiled at Fred, "I told you that my wife would always hold a grudge about cursing her out." This is a little bit true I do hold a grudge. I am not going to deny that I enjoyed being a bit petty. I consider the score settled now.
My husband and I go to the truck. My husband asked me if I was satisified with the exchange. I have to say I was. Fred hopfully learned a lesson in treating women and a bit of humility.
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