My mother in law collects snow globes from the places she’s visited. My mother collects angels. I have a friend with a basement full of bobbleheads of famous baseball players. But the collection that still kind of creeps me out is the one that’s common among young moms—you know who you are—the ones that save their kids’ baby teeth. (Ewwww)
Me—I am a collector of questions.
I have a notebook filled with them.
The other day, as I was scanning through my notebook, I fired off a few to my husband:
What’s one responsibility you wish you didn’t have?
What’s your biggest fear about getting older?
And then this one:
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
A mentor once told me to pay attention to the compliments.
She said, “Always pay attention to your compliments. Write them down. They are a clue about who you are and what you are good at and where you can add value. Compliments help you figure out what you are supposed to do. Whenever you are unsure, one thing you can always do is pay attention to the compliments.”
So I don’t know what I expected him to say. Probably something regarding his work or education, but what he actually said was so unexpected and so beautiful it took my breath away.
Probably, “I do,” he said.
I do?
Can a promise also be a compliment?
(The best promises are compliments.)
I believe in you.
I love you.
I forgive you.
“I do” is akin to saying “You’re my favorite” every single day of your life.
"Do you, Chantel, take Gavin, to be your wedded husband? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, so long as you both shall live?”
I do.
I do.
I do.
I promised on January 5, 1996, and every day since reinforces this reciprocal compliment, made all the more special because neither of us deserve it. Unexpected compliments are the sweetest of them all.