Staring at a sink full of dishes and the bomb site that is my kitchen, I do what I always do; I roll my shirt sleeves up and start the cleaning process. Alas, this is my cliché married life.
My husband is a good cook, but every time he cooks, the kitchen is a scene from a horror movie! He has tried washing up in the past, but I think he intentionally does it badly so that I don’t ask him to do it regularly!
I put up with his feet up on the coffee table when he is watching TV; dirty clothes on the bathroom or bedroom floor; used mugs, plates, cutlery either haphazardly left around the tables, desks, and/or kitchen (but not sink!); even his annoying habit of emptying his pockets of keys, phone, lint, receipts, coins (why do men always just spend notes and leave the coins? What do they expect we’ll do with the jars and jars of change?) on the bedside table every evening instead of the designated “bowl” I have set aside for all his crap!
Despite all of the annoying little things (that automatically become big things during the hormonal week!), he is the man who I vowed to love for better or for worse and that I am blessed to have him in my life.
The jobs of today’s wives are not in any wedding rule books. Wives are now creatures that work hard, play hard and love hard! We manage the home, the finances, the kids, the extended family, the friends, the extended friends AND the whinging husband! It’s a never-ending job, 24 hours a day 7 days a week, 365 days a year and rarely do we receive a “thanks” for all the effort! Lucky most women are excellent multi-taskers!
The many reality shows that are frequenting the TV bandwidths are scary depictions of many of the clichés related to married women. “The Real Housewives” franchise, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and all the rest of the similar themed shows, scarily show the women and/or wives as superficial, materialistic, gold-digging, beautiful women – or maybe that was my jealous streak showing as I feel a few of you maybe judging my description. But I am assured these plastic Barbie dolls with their cattiness makes for great TV viewing as obviously shown on their TV ratings!
I am lucky to be surrounded by amazing wives as some of my closest friends. Some are inspirational and push me to want to be a better person!
Very recently, a friend with her two children has embarked on a journey to spend a year in another country to go back to college. Having spent the best part of over 10 years of marriage following and supporting a loving husband in his career path all around the world, she is currently living her dream of finishing a Graduate Degree. I applaud this amazing woman and the unfaltering support from the loving husband and children – this is indeed a brave and wonderful journey!
Another wonderful wife has recently started a new business line on top of her normal day-to-day job! A mother of three children (one of whom is still at toddler age), with a stressful day time job and she still has time to start up a new business venture! Where does she find the time? Although, again I would applaud the husband in being the doting, supporting other half as well as a part-time “Princess” to his children at playtime!
A few of the other wives I have the pleasure of knowing have been in support of their husband’s careers throughout their lives together. Being their Agent, Marketer, Ambassador, and even setting up a fan base for their hubbies! They are beautiful, confident women who have thriving careers of their own who still have time to be their husband’s right-hand (wo)man!
Clichés aside, wives are only great wives when they are supported by wonderful husbands. The olden day family was that the “Man” was the head of the household – modern day it is more a joint effort. Or maybe we should leave it to the women to run the world – as mentioned previously – we are EXCELLENT multi-taskers!
