I am the type of person who closes a safety pin before tossing in a drawer; my husband is not. In his defense, he’s a leftie, so he fumbles with the thin metal clasp and, well, safety pins are somewhat passe. I am a former 4-H seamstress, as well as the oldest daughter who was often tasked to change diapers, so it’s ethic to close a safety pin.

I am the type of person who gets an appliance out, uses it, cleans it, and then promptly stows it away. My husband is the type of person who opens a cupboard door, stares blankly at the shelves, and calls out to me, “Where’s the blender?” And, after he uses the blender, he leaves it, dirtied, in the sink for me to clean and put away.

But, do I pick on him for this apparent lapses – I think not. Please note that he made me a margarita to sip after a long, long day…

I am the type of person who praises a lot. My husband isn’t. His “thanks” and “attagirls” are husbanded, seldom dished out. It’s just part of my ebullient style, while his style is more quiet and contained. Look at the picture below. See what his spontaneous ‘containment’ does for me.

My husband ‘sees’ me, cajoles me, and makes me laugh, as I do vice versa for him. He protects and shelters me. I’ll never get lost or misused. I’ll never go insane from his little ‘lapses’ from perfection as I might see the world. I am a well-loved person. My husband performs his most important role well.

And so, it is Larry’s role to ‘take out’ and my role to ‘put away’ inside the house and without it. Together my husband and I comprise a household of balances and checks. Things get done, the proper things like LOVE, the word written in invisible ink on all four walls.

“To have and to hold’ from this day forward for more than forty years.