My husband wrote something that really resonated with me:

“I must admit, there is a sense of accomplishment each and every time I complete even the smallest task that improves the house or fixes something. It must be something built into us guys that we want to work with our hands to make things work… I am seeing the image of Tom Hanks dancing around the fire in “Castaway” shouting Me Make Fire! Yeah, I feel that way sometimes like when I managed to bring our front lawn back to beautiful green-ness for pennies – or one of many other countless victories.”

He loooooves working on our house. LOVES it. He gets mildly…okay, really obsessed with it. I don’t get it. I’d rather spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon relaxing, going on a picnic, having friends over – but his first thought when a few free hours come up is “What can I do for the house???”. I didn’t understand this for a long time. I’d be all “Whatever. Let me know when you’re done so we can go have some fun.”

Then, he wrote this blog last night. And I read it this morning.

And now I get it.

It is hard-wired into my husband to enjoy these things. It is in his masculine nature to conquer, to “make fire”. And he wants me to dance around the theoretical bonfire with him. But I haven’t been doing that. He’s jumping around inside, beating his chest and bellowing “Me make fire!” in great excitement, and I’m sitting off to the side going “Okay, you’re done? Finally. Moving on.”

And he just wants me to dance with him for a moment.

So let’s dance around that fire, ladies! Let’s celebrate our husbands’ masculine nature, their innate desire to conquer, their need to celebrate even the smallest conquest. It doesn’t take much, just a big hug and a kiss (yes, even if he’s sweaty and gross!) and a “Good job, honey! You’re awesome!” and you’ll pretty much make his week.

I think I can do that.

Or I could let him build a big bonfire in the back yard….

Nah…