Failed Expectations

A friend was angry over her hubby's disregard of a special occasion in their lives; "he did not forget, he just ignored our special day," she insisted.

I remember the times when I, too, failed to plan for an anniversary or for a special occasion:

One valentines day, about five years ago, I nearly forgot to give Gem a gift; I was busy giving Valentine day treats to my customers. When I finally had the time -- late in the afternoon-- to buy flowers for her, all I found, at any shop, were wilted and lifeless roses, surely not the one she likes. When I came to DBP near the evening with her roses, the relieved but defeated look on her face pierced painfully into my soul. It seemed that every breathing female in the bank got a special bouquet from their thoughtful partners, all delivered in the morning. What anguish she must have felt the entire day! Since then, every morning of valentines day, at least, three dozen, long-stemmed, baby-pink, fresh roses always find its way to DBP.

But nothing beats the way I totally ignored our first month anniversary (not yet married but still) as couples. Darn. A long story, and I'm sleepy. Well, after all, there are no mistakes, only lessons to be learned.

I wonder about the true measure of real love. Is it logical for the small, daily, loving gestures to be thrown out of the window once a major occasion is ignored? Or should we celebrate our individuality and understand our partner's unique way of expressing their love? Which, most of the time, are different from ours. For me, I guess, what is important to Gem, must be, genuinely, as important to me, too.

As for my friend, the day ended pretty well for her, after all.

A fleeting, nonsense thought: if one regularly forgets, then one must easily be forgiven the moment one forgets! Makes sense.