Wednesday, September 5, 2007

To be a better man -- the endless struggle

Sweetie called me as I left work tonight; She wanted me to pick up some Advil cold and sinus medicine on the way home, as She thinks that She is developing a sinus infection.

Here comes a perennial test for me. Sometimes I do okay, sometimes I flub it badly. To be sympathetic and nurturing when She needs it -- not just attentive to Her physical needs but also sympathetic to the mood shift that being sick typically brings.

I'm not good at that. Only recently have I realized that it comes from my own childhood, but I cannot use that as an excuse not to be better. When She worries about something that seems silly to me, I have to be the kind of man who doesn't make light of Her concerns. When She is suffering and not at Her emotional best, I need to be there for Her and not react in a negative way.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sometimes, you have to be considerate and understandable when girls get sick. We tend to be emotional and really demanding. Nice writing.

Eastcoastdweller said...

Lovely Ms. Yek: I'm working on it -- after all, as You teasingly noted, but it's so very true, "us boys are here to serve You Girls."

Laura Stamps said...

Wow! I can't remember the last time I heard a man say something like that. In fact, when I think about it, I may never have heard a man say that. Actually, I don't even expect it. Ha! Maybe because I grew up in the Deep South, and down here our girl friends are the only ones who have compassion for our little mood swings. It's not something we expect men to pick up on, much less care about. What a prize you are ECD!!!

Sending you a big bunch of magickal faery xoxoxo today!

Dawn said...

Knowing is the first step in fixing. :)

Do you tell sweetie all of these things too?

Eastcoastdweller said...

Dawn: Of course. We've had several discussions about my need to be more sympathetic when She is worrying about something.

Dawn said...

Excellent!