Picking Priorities
What’s the most important thing in your life? Maybe you haven’t had an occasion to consider that question. I participated in a therapy exercise where I was presented with a list of ideals or priorities. I picked 30 of them. Then I was asked to pick 10 from those 30. Next, I had to pick 3. And finally, I had to rank them in order.
What do you think came out first?
Writing is important to me. But “career” didn’t even make my top 10. I’ve travelled all over the world for business and pleasure. I’ve been to Greece, Dubai, India, Scotland. I’ve found things to enjoy at each location. But travel didn’t even make the top 30.
I’m a man of faith. But faith or religion were not my top choice.
I love music. It didn’t make any lists.
I’m told that I often share too much on social media. And yet, looking back through my blog posts, tweets, comments, I don’t think I’ve ever addressed it.
The item that took the top list for priorities was matrimony.
Surprised? Initially I was too. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I’ve been married to my lovely wife for 36 years. Our anniversary was last month. I met here when she was a kid of 14. We started dating when we both went to BYU-Provo. She was 18. We married the following year and have been together ever since.
It hasn’t all be rosy, of course. We’ve had our ups and downs. More ups than downs. In all that time, decades, years, a lifetime, I’ve never regretted the decision for a minute. I’ve never even looked at another girl or woman. My biggest fear is living my life without her.
A man working on his car asked his wife to come out and press the brakes while he had his head under the hood. As she slid into the car she accidentally leaned on the horn. Her startled husband banged his head. As he was rubbing the bruise he asked in exacerbation: “How can you be so beautiful and yet so dumb?”
His wife responded with a smile, “I’m beautiful for you’d marry me. . .and dumb so I’d marry you.“
It’s an old joke and no longer socially acceptable. What I take from it, in addition to a smile, is that my wife was both beautiful and smart. Although, honestly, I couldn’t tell you why she chose to marry me.
I’m just glad she did.
Stay safe
Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren. Miscellany III A Collection of Holiday Short Stories, is an anthology that includes his latest short story, “You Can Call Me Dan”
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