"Learning to demonstrate aspects of love like patience, kindness, and encouragement are not always easy but are certainly crucial to a healthy relationship. So dealing with the way you greet your spouse each day may seem inconsequential, but this small issue carries surprising significance.
You can tell a lot about the state of a couple's relationship from the way they greet one another. It's probably something you don't think about very often-the first thing you say to him/her when you wake up in the morning,the look on your face when you get in the car,the energy in your voice when you speak on the telephone. But here's something else you probably don't stop to consider-the difference it would make in your spouse's day if everything about you expressed the fact that you were really, really glad to see them.
When someone communicates that they are glad to see you, your personal sense of self-worth increases. You feel more important and valued.
That's because a good greeting sets the stage for positive and healthy interaction. Like love, it puts wind in your sails. A loving greeting can bless your spouse through what they see,hear,and feel. Think of the opportunities you have to greet each other on a regular basis.
It doesn't have to be bold and dramatic every time. But adding warmth and enthusiasm gives you the chance to touch your mate's heart in subtle,unspoken ways. Even when you're not getting along too well, you can lessen the tension and give them value by the way you greet them.
Remember, love is a choice. So choose to change your greeting. Choose to love.
Today's Dare
Think of a specific way you'd like to greet your spouse today.
Do it with a smile and with enthusiasm.
Then determine to change your greeting to reflect your love for them
Once again, I have to admit, I already do this. Well, not always, but since he has been working out of town and only coming home on the weekends it seems to be natural habit to have the urge to jump in to his arms the second he walks through the door.
Although, reflecting back on the past I can easily see how he can be put off the minute he walks in the door because there are times were I am stressing over dinner, and the kids are bothering me or one of them has made a huge mess and I am stressed out and I know he it doesn't make me look happy.
The image that instantly comes to mind is me looking like Medusa with two onry children in my hands ready to be strangled and as he walks through the door I turn and look at him and BOOM he is hard as rock, frozen not knowing what to do.
I can easily see how scary this may be, and how my attitude could very well be projecting on to him and making him anxious and angry. In turn, this could back-fire on me, because if I act like this too often, he is not going to even want to come home. Which will be another hurdle to jump.
But from here on out I say..NO MORE!
Starting today, I answered every phone call with a pleasant voice and every day until the day he came home from working out of town,on which day I did literally jump on him and hug and kiss him when he walked in the door.Otherwise, if there was something going on that might have made me seem uneasy I just answered the phone and let him know that "I am a little busy at the moment, would it be possible to call him right back?" which also gave him the chance to let me know if it was important or not,if it was then I ofcourse, stopped what I was doing to give him the attention and help he needed. It seems to be paying off because he has actually started answering the phone more often, even when he is busy and with a pleasant tone to boot!!
We smile because we are happy.
But we are also happy because we smile.
Act the part and you will become the part.
~Author Unknown
No comments:
Post a Comment