Love (not) at First Sight

“What was it that drew you to your significant other? Their blue eyes? Their ginger countenance? Their smile? Their voice?” And the Daily Post Challenge (He’s (She’s) So Fine) continues to prod me on.

If you’ve been a reader and follower of my blog, you would know by now how I met my husband. In a gist, for those who just got here – we were both church volunteers, he, a Logistics guy; me, a Sunday School teacher. You may read our love story here in this link.

But what was it that really drew me to him. Hmm, let me think for a moment. Because as you all know, it was not love at first sight. He grew into me.

Maybe it was because of his quiet countenance of serving the Lord with all humility. No church task seemed to be too small for him to do. Maybe it was his total abandonment of how others might perceive him when he picked up that guitar and tried his best to accompany the worship leader. He would just laugh it all off even when the guitar stint failed. Maybe it was his positive energy that rubbed on my then pessimistic self.  Maybe it was his charm when he seems to be friends with everyone and when he always sees the good in people.

I was drawn to him not by his looks. Don’t get me wrong. My husband is the most handsome to me. But his heart is more beautiful. I am so glad it was not love at first sight. Because my eyes saw beyond the superficiality and discovered what is most important – his great love for the Lord.

Spare Change Keeps Me Sane

What act drives me nuts making me go wild with my emotions? One thing stands out. It’s when cashiers don’t give me exact change for my purchases. It’s when they round off to the nearest centavo the change they’re supposed to give me. Yeah, I’m OC that way. I don’t know how I became like that. Maybe I’m just an exact person. A thorough individual expecting thoroughness from people as well.

So what do I do to prevent this from happening? I vowed to always bring my coin purse filled with 25 centavos, 10 centavos down to 5 centavos. Spare change keeps me sane. I try to actually pay my items as exact as I could so I would avoid feeling irritated with those type of cashiers. (No offense, if there are cashiers out there reading this blog. 🙂  )

It helped too that my husband taught me to be more patient with people and their idiosyncracies. He told me not to be too finicky with the little details that stress me out. After I embraced this lesson, my interactions with cashiers have been more friendly now. I no longer get irritated because I found a solution to my problem – spare change! I love those centavos. So if you don’t like your centavos anymore, give them to me. They’re important to my sanity. 🙂

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Post in response to Daily Prompt: She Drives Me Crazy

1, 7, 13, 25, 40, 60, 90

No ,they’re not numbers in a mathematical progression series. These are the ages I deemed to be critical in one’s human development. These are the ages I’ve also seen right before my very eyes.

Age 1 and 7 are childhood milestones. Age 13 is indoctrination to puberty stage. Age 25 is when you relatively start a family and career. Age 40 is when you’re supposed to become more stable in life. Age 60 is the waning of your life and work capabilities. Age 90 is when you become dependent on the adult people in your life. (If you are fortunate enough to reach that ripe old age.)

The aging process stared right me in the face when I, together with my husband, lived away from my parents. I only see them once a week when we visit them. And was I surprised at how quick they’ve aged physically. They had more white hair. More wrinkles were showing. Their faculties of seeing and hearing were dwindling. Right then and there, I realized, my parents are aging.

I, too, would go through that same stage, if God wills it to be so. But how do I stay young at heart, despite me getting old? Perhaps, the best thing I’d do is for me to still engage in the things I love doing. Walk in the park with my husband. Savoring the simple joys in life. Mingling with younger friends. Reading a good, stimulating book. Having a regular haircut and manicure / pedicure / foot spa date with my salon friends who would still keep me looking pretty and awesome. 🙂  Eating healthy and having a good night’s sleep. Praying to the Lord Almighty to keep me in the pink of health.

Growing old need not be a dread. Gracefully, I can face aging as long as I know I have aged with wisdom. Not worldly wisdom, but the wisdom that only God can give.

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Post in response to Daily Prompt: Young at Heart