Here's an old post that I drafted up back in January, but thought it was a nice road marker for what was on my mind at the time that I felt I should clean it up and post it:
Back in January, my wife and I drove down to NY for an early birthday dinner for my father over the MLK holiday weekend. Three-day weekends tend to make for less hectic visits to my family. Reflecting on the weekend, I've come to realize that I've inherited the love language of Quality Time from both of my parents, meaning that it doesn't matter so much as to what we do or where we go, but rather the intentionality of setting time aside for one another is most readily received.
Something else I have to mention, in light of the trip, is my dislike of driving. In driving, I have a
drastic decrease in patience and a greater probability for using "salty"
language. Some of this may resonate with you out there as these are pitfalls for those who suffer from road rage. However, I'm pleased to
share that this trip's car experience was not just tolerable, but
almost...pleasant. What made this drive different than the rest you ask?
Two things really:
- First, the 3.5-4 hour drive is a great time to really talk to my wife about things both serious, as well as silly. What happens at work typically stays in the office, but for my wife who's a teacher, there's always an abundance of things to work on at home: grade papers, plan lessons, etc. There was an incident leading up to the trip where an email exchange between us seemed the best way to take care of time-sensitive matters, which just seemed so sad since we live under the same roof and don't travel for work! Again, it's that Quality Time-thing showing up again.
- Second, NPR. Something about a long drive and talk radio that goes like peanut butter and jelly and we were treated to a great piece showcasing a bit of history on MLK Jr. in honor of his birthday.
