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Sock Love

Posted by Ted_Slater on Feb 4, 2010 4:47:13 AM

 

So instead of grumbling again about the disarray in which I found my sock drawer, I asked my wife if, the next time she wrapped up laundry, she could match the socks before putting them away.

 

The next time the sock drawer was replenished, all the pairs of socks were nestled next to their mate, holding fast to each other with a simple roll at the open end.

 

Instead of feeling a simple lack of discontentment, and instead of simply feeling thankful that she had helped make my mornings that much more efficient, I actually felt loved.

 

Yup, I imagined my wife washing a load of laundry, moving the clothes into the dryer ... and then spending the time rifling through 20 seemingly disparate socks, finding a match for each, and gently tucking them into my sock drawer. A fruitless effort for her personally, something that doesn't personally benefit her routine, but something that makes mine go just that much more smoothly.

 

And that makes me feel loved. I feel loved, and humbled, when Ashleigh inconveniences herself for me in this way.

 

Which, naturally, makes me think of you. What makes you feel loved? Have you told your spouse what makes you feel loved? Now, why don't you take a risk and tell them?

678 Views Tags: home, love, communication, communication_spouse


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Feb 4, 2010 11:43 AM Guest Ashley  says:
My husband says he feels loved when I do the dishes. We both work, so we share chores, but I'm trying to make more of an effort to be the one who does the dishes because I know he appreciates it.
Feb 4, 2010 4:35 PM Guest Aidyl  says:
I think that was rude of you.  Maybe you can do the laundry yourself and match up your own socks.
Feb 6, 2010 7:51 AM Guest Leah  says:

... people don't pair socks before putting them away? It honestly doesn't even take that much more time when sorting the laundry. My mum always did it for an entire family of 6. (Or when we got older, whoever was charged with sorting the laundry had to do it.)

 

That said, my husband had never been taught the sock-roll thing before we got married. He thought I was weird for doing it, then one day our landlady (who lives on the same property as us, and with whom we share a clothes line) took some of our clothes off the line because there was rain coming and folded them for us - and she rolled the socks the same way. My husband said he felt like a "sock-folding nigel" lol.

Feb 18, 2010 3:11 PM Guest Priscilla  says:

I have to echo Leah here -- I've never imagined NOT matching socks when you fold laundry   Getting married has taught me there are different ways of laundry folding and sorting though...and I'm learning that "the way Mom always taught me" isn't necessarily the way everyone's Mom teaches them!

 

So here's the dilemma: do I do it my way since I'm the one doing it? Or for the clothes I'm putting in his closet, do I do it his way? (Two months ago, before the wedding, I never dreamt these were the dilemmas of married life!)

Feb 24, 2010 10:44 AM Ted_Slater Ted_Slater    says in response to Aidyl:

Expressions of love sometimes are most appreciated when they require sacrifice. I recognize this, and appreciate my wife's actions all the more.

 

I sacrifice for my wife and children as well. That's what love does: Denies its "rights" and humbly serves the other.

Mar 1, 2010 1:10 PM Guest Sara  says in response to Ted_Slater:

I'd say true love tries to save the people it cares about from extra work because life is more relaxing that way. I really love it when my boyfriend makes me breakfast or blows the snow out of the driveway, but I wouldn't want him to colour-code my t-shirts (unless it was as a joke) because I know we'd both be thinking how pointless it was. It's so much nicer to go through life taking it easy, mismatched socks and all.