Understanding Is The Base Of Any Relationship

When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.

On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed, yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school.

I do not remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite. When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits and I will never forget what he said.

He smiled at her and said, "Honey, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss my dad good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned.

He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your mom put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides, a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone." 

Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people . I am not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else, but what I have learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults, and choosing to celebrate each other's differences, is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing and lasting relationship.

This is my hope for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and have a good relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker.

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship.

Do not put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket; keep it in your own.

So, pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burnt one will do just fine.