Listen to Me, Eddie Bert! Darling Sylvia, Listen to me, Eddie Bert! How many times over the last fifty-two years have you made that simple request. Listening has never been my strong suit. I should know better. The Good Lord gave me two ears, two eyes, two hands, two knees, and two hearts (yes, we really have two hearts – one that pumps to the lungs and a second that pumps blood from the lungs to the rest of the body (Leo De Vinci).

The mouth is a solitary organ. Any idiot knows that a husband needs to listen more and talk less. Listening has always been difficult for me. First, I need to take the time. The job, yard, garden, greenhouse, Lions football game, our kids (Charity Jean and Nathan), our grands (Abby, Archer and Aryn), our cats (Peter and Sammy), my hunger, my energy level, my needs are important to me. If I listen to you, I’ll have to stop what I am doing.  You know by now how easily distracted I can be.

Oh, all right. I’ll admit that when you say Listen to me, Eddie Bert, I get a little scared. The we that is our relationship is the pearl beyond price in my life. Listen to me, Eddie Bert!  I sit down facing you, put my knees outside of yours (it keeps me from running away), take both of your hands in mine, check for hives to see if I am in big trouble, then I look into your eyes and listen to you, not only with my two ears but with my two hearts.

What are your feelings? What is on your heart?  How can I make a difference?  You are important enough for me to listen to you..  The We of Us rules my world.

Loving you, Eddie Bert