Sometimes, Smilin' Vic really bowls me over.
It's not always a big thing. It's not every day. But sometimes, somehow, he manages to leave me speechless.
A few years ago, he surprised me with a trip for our wedding anniversary. What I thought was an overnight trip to Dubai for a conference he had to attend ended up being a 2-hour layover followed by a 3-night romantic getaway to Venice. He caught me completely unawares. He truly left me at a loss for words.
That was a big thing. Most people would be impressed by the big things. I mean, I can't manage to be blasé about it. Going to Venice for a long weekend is a big deal. He definitely won me over with that one.
But then there are the little things. The big little things. The things that few people but me would 'get'. The things that tell me he listens, the things that tell me he cares, the things that tell me he would go that extra mile for me. Quite silly things, really, but they are the things that convince me over and over that there is a reason Smilin' Vic came into my life. And I think that reason is that he actually likes to see me smile, hear me laugh, know I'm happy.
Yesterday, he did a little thing. He bought me four bowls; four plain, stainless steel bowls of varying sizes. Such a big little thing.
The story is that every year when we go on our skiing vacation, we stay in the same flat. The flat has four plain, stainless steel bowls of varying sizes. I use them every single day while we are on vacation, preparing salads, mixing sauces with kiddo, laying out a nightly feast for Smilin' Vic, and repeating how "one day, I'll have these bowls in my kitchen."
Last year, he apparently inspected the bowls and discovered they were from IKEA.
So last night, on his drive home from work, he was driving by the newly opened IKEA in Qatar (just opened March 11, 2013). And after a long day's work, and despite the hour-long drive home, he decided to brave the throngs of people and sacrifice an extra hour of his day just to see if the store was carrying those bowls.
Today those four plain, stainless steel bowls sit on proud display on an open shelf in my kitchen. I will never be able to use them without thinking back on amazing winter vacations, without realizing that he actually listens to me, without thanking my lucky stars that he's still willing to take the time to do a big little thing for me.
He bowled me over.
Four plain, stainless steel bowls of varying sizes.
“A toast before we go into battle. True love. In whatever shape or form it may come. May we all in our dotage be proud to say, “I was adored once too.” ”