“Figure it out, Tom,” she texted. “See you soon.”
When Mom finally came home, her skin glowed with a gentle tan, her shoulders were relaxed, and her smile reached her eyes. Dad stood in the doorway, staring at her like he was seeing her for the first time.
Maybe he was.
“I missed you,” he admitted softly.
Mom set down her suitcase, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “I missed me too.”
Everything changed after that.
Dad started not just helping with household chores, but taking the initiative to do laundry, wash dishes, and mop the floors. But more importantly, he started seeing Mom as more than just the person who took care of him.
It wasn’t just about the chores.
It was about appreciation and partnership. About remembering that the woman he married was a whole person, not just a support system.
Let me leave you with this thought: My mother spent 40 years serving her family. One trip showed her she was more than just a wife.
And one painful reality check showed my dad that being “the man of the house” means taking care of it too.
To anyone reading this — and I know there are plenty of you out there living this same story right now — if you’re the one doing everything, take a break.
And if you’re the one watching someone else do everything?
Step up before they step away because at the end of the day, a marriage should be a partnership. Not a one-woman show.
These days, when I visit, I often find them in the kitchen together — Dad washing dishes while Mom tells him about her day, or Mom reading a book while Dad folds laundry.
It’s what marriage should have been all along.
And Mom? She takes a vacation with Janet every year now.
Dad still doesn’t love it, but he’s learned to manage. After all, he can take care of himself now and wants Mom to be happy.
Source: amomama
