The couple had been married a short while, when she started to get suspicious of her husband’s whereabouts since he had been returning home from work at very late hours everyday. She was left feeling lonely and sad, as though she was raising their baby girl on her own. This is not how she pictured her life to turn out. Worst of all, she started to become resentful that she had to stay at home with their daughter and she began to feel trapped. Many thoughts and questions were incessantly running through her head as she tried to hone in on an answer.
But then, one day, she discovered something while doing the family laundry. With her husband working long hours, she soon found herself becoming resentful for having to stay at home alone with their daughter. She pondered if this really was what marriage was supposed to be. Then, one day, Jona was doing her husband’s laundry and everything changed. The brave woman wrote about her story on her blog: “It was a Wednesday evening and my husband worked much later than he told me he would. I heard the dryer go off so instead of giving it another go around to avoid folding (I know I’m not the only one who gives their clothes the extra few fluffs!) I decided to get it over with. I took the clothes out of the dryer and threw them onto the kitchen table. I begin folding, thinking, “Why does he not want to spend time with me? We’re newlyweds, aren’t we supposed to be in the honeymoon stage?”
Why did my clothes look so vibrant, clean and new? His were dingy, stained and torn. I stopped folding and just stood there, thinking. This man provides more than I deserve. If I tell him I want something, very seldom will he tell me no. I began feeling an overwhelming feeling of guilt and shame. I couldn’t help but feel like I have failed as a wife. Instead of being grateful that I have an amazing husband who takes amazing care of me and our daughter, I wait for him to come home to pick a fight. I get spoiled with the fruits of his labor and he is okay with a pair of torn boxer briefs.
I was acting as if he was out partying with friends — but his laundry told a completely different story. His hands are rough. They have blisters and they’re cracked. His clothes are torn, stained and dingy. He doesn’t care, though. His heart is full when he walks into the door and our daughter runs for him excitedly yelling “DADA!” His dreams have come true of being able to be a man and provide for his family. He has everything he has ever wanted in life… I’m working on being a better wife. Sure, I miss him and want to spend time with him throughout the week, but I have realized he is offering me the most beautiful form of love there is… he works to give our family everything we need.”
