This week I asked my wife if she would talk a little bit about what it is like to be the wife of an amateur writer. We don't often consider what difficulties might be faced by a spouse when the writer is researching or writing or editing or brainstorming, etc. So here is her perspective on things. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9Pbpr-OJIo]
How horrible of a husband am I?
I'm the most non-nutritious eater that the western world has ever seen. My breakfast consisted of an iced honeybun every morning for two years. This wasn't when I was a growing teenager. This was last year! My lunchbox has become the stuff of legend among my co-workers. What Little Debbie snack will he have in there now? How many will be in there? We took everything out one day at lunch and discovered nothing with any nutritional value whatsoever. If you ever wondered what the teachers did in the teacher's lounge when you were a kid, there it is! I feed my son better than I eat, although we do both have a weakness for fast food. Five Guys...yummm... I've never had much concern about my eating habits because I have always maintained a healthy weight. I rarely get sick. My cholesterol is good and I pass my yearly physical with flying colors. Lately, though, I've been worried about some of my eating habits. What has changed? My wife is on a diet.
My wife is a wonderful lady. She has never asked me to join her on the diet. She exercises daily and she loves it. I exercise momentarily and don't like it. She has never forced me to go to the gym with her. She has remarkable drive and willpower that I wish I possessed. The reason why I worry about my eating isn't because of myself, it is because of her. How terrible of a husband and I to still eat a normal supper while she has to eat this exceedingly healthy food? I have asked her again and again if it is okay, and she insists that it is. Still, I worry about the temptation that I must be placing on her. I don't find the sweetest, most delicious thing in the world and eat it in front of her while making sounds of delight or anything! Nevertheless, I will occasionally eat a nutty bar while I'm at home, and I worry if that angers her.
The thing that keeps me from joining her on her diet is the fact that I find all of her food incredibly nasty! She loves vegetables. I think that they are nature's practical joke on the taste buds. I believe that the purpose of a salad is to hold the delicious dressing for you. She can eat them dry. She thinks that brussel sprouts are amazing. I comb the internet searching for signs that this is the symptom of some greater illness. How do I support my wife when I am scared that her food is going to grow teeth and attack me?
I try to do whatever I can to support my wife. Really, I do. But I can't seem to make myself enjoy her dietary tastes. Does that make me a horrible husband?
featured image via abovethecrowd.com