Canadian Geese - and The Boy-Girl List

Well, kind of blurry, sorry. These are the Canadian geese that frequent our pond out front. I love to watch their frolic and interest in each other. They are quite aware of what each is doing; albeit ducking for food, or getting ready to take flight if danger is sensed. Their loyalty is unyielding, their commitment, forever - as in until death. The male is the hunter - and he feeds her. How cute is that. She dotes - waits patiently for him to 'step up to the man plate'. Now don't go writing angry comments about that being a sexist statement about lack of equality between men and women -let's face it - men and women are not the same. We are quite different and I for one am very thankful. I am not as physically strong as most men I know. Nor do I have any need to prove physical strength. I am strong enough, all things considered.

My husband gets quite thrilled with himself when he splits a cord of wood. That does not thrill me, at all. I love to watch him - it is exciting on many levels but I have no desire to swing the axe. Maybe once or twice, for fun. I do enjoy stacking wood and gathering kindling. When we remodeled the upstairs bathroom I did not help remove the 500 pound tub. I didn't even know anyone who could remove a 500 pound tub. My husband did - three guys showed up that looked like line backers and hauled it out. I have no problem saying, "no can do".

We have a delightful 'thing' we do, and it is called "The Boy List and The Girl List". When stuff needs to get done we look up at the imaginary list and say "That is on the boy list, or the girl list, depending on the task at hand. We laugh heartily at ourselves and at times we comically quibble over which list the task should be on. Everything from making dinner to taking one of our cars for an oil change and a million things that come up day to day. Many tasks are interchangeable, others, not so much and we just know that, intuitively and lovingly and even adoringly. The Canadian geese seem to have a similar boy-girl list and intuitively know which is which.

I love chivalry. A door opened, a hand on the small of my back guiding me through a door, my chair puled out at a dining table, helping me with my coat and then he reaches to gently shape my long hair around the collar, getting the car from the lot and then pulling up right in front for me, tasting the wine first, putting his arm across me if he makes a sudden stop while driving, and so much more. I love to serve him food, wine, coffee, his favorite movie snacks - I am excited by his strength and power because with me he is so gentle - I feel safe with him, he is the protector. I am free to be vulnerable, submit if you will because I trust him. He knows my limits. I celebrate him and all his gifts and talents - and where each of us may be weak, the other steps up - and without words - it is a given. We don't need to prove our trust or defend our weaknesses - neither of us are insecure therefore no proof is needed - we live it, we are it, by our design. We laugh, lovingly, at one another. In our most intimate moments there is understanding, desires fulfilled, fantasy realized, laughter and nuances that magically explore and ignite our passion. We know, respect and delight in each other.

The Canadian geese seem delighted with one another too. She dotes, he hunts, and then they calmly sail along, side by side......................stopping only to poke at each other as if to say, "I'm glad you are mine".

Love Gail
peace.......