Friday, February 19, 2021

Back to the Beginning by Merri Maywether


A long time ago I watched a program. I cannot remember the name of the program or the story. However, one scene stuck with me. There was an older couple who were secondary characters.  They were rich and stuffy. The woman walked into the kitchen and sampled some food in the pot. The food turned out to be beef stroganoff. She said in passing that it lacked a seasoning and immediately questioned how she knew the detail. For as long as she could remember, a chef had prepared her food.

Her husband reminded her of the beginnings of their relationship. They were poor, and she cooked all their meals. His favorite was her beef stroganoff. He then told her that he missed the woman he married. They had a heart to heart and decided to return to the way things were before they were rich. 


That scene stuck with me. On top of that, I’ve attended many a marriage seminar. There is always one speaker who says, “Keep doing what you did to impress your spouse when you were dating them.” 



I took that message to heart this Valentine’s Day. When my husband and I dated, money was tight. But that didn't matter. I had the gift of turning everyday activities into an event. So we didn’t play board games. We were participants in a board game extravaganza. The loser had to wash dishes. 

 If you go back to my post from September, you’ll see the gift is still with me.


So this Valentine’s Day,  we went back to our beginning. We cooked dinner together. Afterward, I pulled out the N64, and we played Tetris. The years had passed, but the competitive spirit remained. 

Translation: I washed the dishes. 


But twenty-plus years of marriage had taught my husband a thing or two. He dried the dishes and put them away.  And when the kitchen was cleaned, we had round two of a Tetris championship. I lost again. 


But I wasn’t mad. 


For a pocket of time, we were in our twenties again. 


💖   💖    💖 



Merri Maywether lives with her husband in rural Montana. You can find her in the town's only coffee house listening to three generations of Montanans share their stories. Otherwise, she's in the classroom or the school library, inspiring the next generation's writers. 


3 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this heartwarming tale, Merri! Our family's most meaningful Christmas was during a challenging financial time.

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  2. I loved reading your post, Merri. Sometimes it's good to revisit the beginnings of a loving, years-old relationship.

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  3. Merri, thanks for sharing that. My hubby and I used to play Chinese checkers. He beat me every time.

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