Something Else About Love

So, the woman who just came into this waiting lounge and yelled at her husband, would we say that her love tank is empty? She embarrassed him and the rest of us, too. Not sure if she embarrassed herself. She accused him of not caring because he was sitting in the lounge instead of being out looking for her.

“Sitting there reading a contract,” she said, as if that were a crime. “There are millions of people here,” she said. “I could get lost.” Then, after a short pause, “What’s our first rule?” I could not hear his answer, but she said, “No,” quite disgusted. And then she explained, as if he were a five-year-old, that their first rule was to not get separated.

Why hadn’t he been looking for her? That’s what she wanted to know, and yet I suspect she knew all along he would not look for her, and I suspect they both knew all along she wouldn’t get lost. It’s only the downstairs waiting area of the Salt Lake airport, after all. I suppose what she wanted was just something from him, some small effort, to show he loves her. That’s not so much to ask. I wonder what he felt, what he hoped for. Perhaps a quiet moment there without her. Or he might hope he could have a quiet moment with her there beside him. They are a sad pair, neither knowing what to do.

I am no marriage counselor, but I can say some things with surety now that I have so much to look back at. So I ask, What makes better sense than to love your husband? your wife? Give without worry over what you get. It requires some maturity, and it requires unselfishness, qualities most of us can find within ourselves. Yes, we can.