Just Squeeze Your Toothpaste From The Bottom
No, this post isn’t what you think.
I wouldn’t dare tell you how to squeeze your toothpaste. To each her own.
Personally, I’m more of a go-right-for-the-middle girl. Now, my husband? A die hard squeeze-toothpaste-from-the-bottom kind of guy.
Yes, toothpaste extraction has been a topic of discussion in our home.
While I consent you may get more dollar for dollar by meticulously working out ever last drop of Aquafresh from the tube, in words familiar to us all:
In the grand scheme of life, we both agree how you prefer to dollop wintermint g00dness on your toothbrush isn’t that important. But, in the daily grind of our lives, it was important to my husband. Believe me when I say he isn’t an especially picky person – but, for whatever reason, the fact that he prefers we squeeze toothpaste from the bottom was worth mentioning.
So I changed this tiny part of my hygenic routine. Why? Because it was a practical way to love and serve him. In an unconditional love sort of way, not a repressed housewife way – you understand.
We are incredibly new to this whole marriage ‘thing’. We only tied the knot 5 months ago. One piece of advice that has been invaluable to us both came from my grandmother (the one with a bit of Yankee moxy). She said,
“People say you’re supposed to give 50/50 in a marriage. That isn’t so. You give 100% and don’t keep score.”
You see, I could have put up a big fight over the toothpaste tube. I could have. I could have asserted my independence and told him I wasn’t budging. I could have told my husband to by his own dang tube of toothpaste. But where’s the love in that? Where’s the honor? Where’s the giving 100% and not keeping score? So, at least in this little mundane detail, I’ve discovered how you can give and not worry about it. I just squeeze the toothpaste from the bottom.
It hasn’t killed me, but I can tell you it has made our marriage a bit sweeter. I’d much rather have a sweeter marriage than a partially squeezed toothpaste tube any day.
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Do you have any weird idiosyncrasies? (I can’t stand people touching my feet!) Have you found it difficult or easy to love your spouse in the little things? I’d love to hear from you!
Hilarious, and so true! Of course I’m sure you can guess that the “roles” are reversed for us – I am the die hard squeeze from the bottom, and James is the squeeze in the middle or wherever he grabs it first kind of guy.
Your grandmother is one smart cookie! It may be difficult at first to change some of the ways you doing things, especially if you have been doing them that way your whole single life. But if you are truly loving your spouse and wanting to put them first, it shouldn’t be that hard to change the way you do some of the little things, just to please and honor them.
There are so many different examples, but since the toothpaste one is already brought up – I was particular in that area; it drove me crazy, but my hubby kindly squeezes from the bottom of the tube now. Then one thing that would drive him to almost breaking hangers – was when I ironed his shirts, I would always button the top button. My mom taught me to do it that way, it keeps the collars nicer. That did not go over so well when James would reach in the closet and try to pull a shirt off the hanger. I didn’t want to change at first, because it contradicted how I was taught… but I am pleased to announce that my hubby can now pull his shirts off the hangers to his hearts content without those cumbersome buttons getting in the way.
Long post, sorry.
I love you, and reading your blog!
O don’t apologize for a long comment! I love them! And I can totally see that our roles would be reversed! That is hilarious. Thanks for sharing your experiences Jayme, just another example that the little things really don’t matter that much 🙂
I once read a Russian short story that had these different toothpaste squeezing habits were a main hook to introduce a disfunctional marriage, where that poor toothpaste was basically the last drop… So compromises are great and necessary =)
Love your grandmother’s advice too)
hi!
so i’m freshly new around here [from emily freeman’s link up] but i’ll definitely be following along. loving your little space here. a rambler – that’s so me! haha. 🙂
and yeah, i hate people touching my feet. i’m so not responsibile for your injuries if you do. 😉
Hi, welcome! I’m so glad you like what you’ve read so far! It’s always refreshing to get a reminder that your blog is clicking with people, isn’t it? I’ll be glad to follow your blog as well 🙂 And thanks to Emily Freeman for making the introduction, as it were.