Monday, May 5

A defining moment

Last night I kinda lost it. Actually, I really lost it.

I flipped out over a power strip.

A power strip? Yep. Not one of my proudest moments.

I was tired. Our new home is a mess. We can't find anything and we had three things to plug into an outlet in the bedroom and I was angry at my husband for not finding the power strip in the midst of our boxes and bags.

I was so angry that I stormed out of our bedroom, taking an afghan with me, and plopped down on the couch. I did not want to sleep with my husband so I was sleeping on the couch.

Now for some of you, this might not be a big deal. But for me it was huge.

Not once in seven years of marriage have either my husband nor I ever slept on the couch due to an argument. Not once.

So as I threw myself down on my love seat (at 5 feet, 9 inches tall what was I thinking????), and laid there I began to think about what issue could be so big that it would cause me an uncomfortable and restless night's sleep on the couch. Was it really worth it?

And I realized the issue really wasn't about the power strip. It was more about what I perceived as a careless attitude.

I was still angry, but I knew that if I chose to stay on the couch it would be a defining moment for our marriage. And it would not be a defining moment that I would be proud of. I would wake up tired, achy and probably angry at my husband for 'making me sleep on the couch.'

So I got up, grabbed my afghan and crawled back into bed.

The best part of all? My husband didn't even realize I had intended to sleep on the couch. He just thought I had left the room.

When the next defining moment comes your way, may you choose your response purposefully and wisely.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've always been told that before you move, both partners should apologize ahead of time for any harsh words. Moving makes for tense situations!

Stacy said...

Thanks for the advice/suggestion! I hadn't heard that before. And since we are moving again when we buy a house, I'll put that advice into practice.

Much appreciated!