“My husband and I have been married for twenty-five years.
We have five kids. Our second son Jack is diagnosed with autism.
Joe and I have argued about big stuff, like teenage curfews and the best way to save money.
We have disagreed about small stuff, like whether or not to hand-wash a frying pan or the right way to park in the garage.
We have gone to bed angry.
We have given each other the silent treatment.
About two years ago, a neighbor watched Joe teach our kids how to hang Christmas lights. Outside in the cold, he looped color and light until the branches glowed.
She turned to me and said something ordinary, yet powerful.
“He is a good man.”
Since then, this is the lens through which I look whenever I feel frustrated or angry.
Whenever I am tempted to hold onto a petty grudge or notice the frying pan left on the stove.
He is a good man.
He’s not perfect.
We’re not perfect.
It changed everything.
He always makes me laugh.”