I stand before you a humble, convicted date night killer. Nine times out of ten, if the date goes into sudden death, it was my fault.
I have no excuse. It is a simple two-count misdemeanor so deceptively innocent that it can snuff out a date faster than a baby can spit up on a silk blouse.
Misdemeanor #1 – a wrong attitude
I am on the date with my husband who, by the way, is totally focused on me, desiring only to wine, dine and romance his wife into his arms and, later, into the bedroom. Did I mention that he is totally focused on me? I emphasize because my misdemeanor is the antithesis – I am not focused on him. In fact, my attitude is one of duty, only. I am thinking of the homework that most likely is not getting done by one child, the medical condition of another child, and the bill I failed to pay that resulted in a finance charge.
The killing usually begins in the pause between ordering dinner and the serving of dinner. Once I have taken care of the business of food and handed over the menu, my never vacant (possibly ADD) mind fills with the business of children and without hesitation I launch into…
Misdemeanor #2 – a lack of verbal self-control
I intuitively (and cunningly) open with the item most near and dear to my husband’s heart – the ongoing medical progress and resulting decisions to be made about one child. He tenses as he listens. I, then, launch into the other child’s grades. He frowns as he listens. I finish with the business of bills and one regrettable finance charge.
“Dessert, anyone?” asks the waiter.
My poor, distracted husband looks up with a frown and says, “No, we better get home.”
Game over. It’s dead. I killed the date.
So, I am confessing and resolving, in the hopes that I might change my wicked ways with…
3 Rules To Save The Date:
- Anticipate – I will look forward to being with my husband. I will instead rearrange my day so I have time to feel good about going.
- Attitude – I will be positive. I will thankfully dump every thought unrelated to my devoted man at the door and leave it there until tomorrow.
- Adore – I will hold captive all other thoughts during the date and fixate them with adoration on my loving, life-long boyfriend.
And then, maybe, just maybe, I will become the one in our marriage with only one thing in mind…
Need date night ideas? Here are 19 to try.
