A Lesson in Love and Respect
When my husband, Jake, handed me a schedule titled, “Lisa’s Weekly Routine for Becoming a Better Wife,” I was taken aback. Instead of reacting negatively, I decided to play along. Little did Jake know, I was about to turn the tables and teach him an important lesson about marriage and respect.
In our marriage, I’ve always been the calm one, the person who thinks things through before reacting. Jake, on the other hand, tends to get excited by new ideas or advice he comes across—whether it’s a new hobby, a diet, or something he reads online. For the most part, we’ve been a solid team, until Jake started spending more time with Steve.
Steve was the type of person who always seemed to have an opinion on everything, including relationships. Jake, always eager to learn, started sharing some of Steve’s thoughts with me.
“Steve says a good wife keeps the house spotless,” Jake would mention one evening. And another time, “Steve thinks women should always look their best for their husbands, even after years of marriage.”
I chuckled, thinking it was just a passing thought, but as the days went by, Jake’s behavior started to shift. He’d make comments if I ordered takeout after a long day or seem bothered by the laundry piling up.
Then, one evening, Jake came home with The List.
He unfolded the paper and slid it across to me, wearing a self-satisfied smile.
“I’ve been thinking,” he began. “You’re an amazing wife, Lisa, but there’s always room for improvement.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”
“Yes,” Jake continued, “Steve made me realize that having a structured routine could make our marriage even better.”
The paper was titled, “Lisa’s Weekly Routine for Becoming a Better Wife,” and as I read through it, I felt a mix of surprise and frustration.
It included things like waking up at 5 a.m. to prepare a gourmet breakfast for Jake, an hour at the gym to “stay in shape,” and a list of daily chores—laundry, cleaning, and ironing—before heading to my full-time job. Evenings were reserved for making elaborate meals from scratch and preparing snacks for Jake and his friends.
I couldn’t believe what I was reading. The husband I knew had somehow been influenced by advice that didn’t seem to reflect the reality of our partnership.
“This could be great for you,” Jake said, smiling. “It’ll help you stay organized, and Steve says structure is key to a happy life.”
I smiled sweetly. “You’re right, Jake. I’ll start tomorrow.”
The relief on his face was almost comical. He had no idea what was coming.
The next morning, I took a moment to review the schedule again. If Jake wanted a perfectly structured life, I was going to show him how much work that really involved.
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