Chivalry and A Gas Station
Almost everything I write on here has to deal with how I try to live my life in a balanced manner--in a yogic manner. Yoga doesn't mean simply doing asanas. It' s about balancing all the parts of your life to help yourself become a wellspring of joy.
One of the biggest sources of balance for me comes from my husband. He and I have truly worked together to make a strong support system for each other. I'm so blessed.
As I was settling into writing this post, I thought about how chivalrous he used to be. He doesn't have to be so chivalrous as he was when we were first dating, because he's also brought balance into his life. He used to never want me to do anything that he considered a man's chore.
Filling up gas was one of those chores. One day, after we'd been married for a while, we were traveling and pulled into a gas station. Caleb had his plan that he would go inside, use the restroom (he desperately had to go), then get his coffee, come back outside, and fill up the tank.
He parked the truck at the pump, then determinedly started walking toward the restroom. I had my wallet on me, so I went to fill up the tank. I thought it was the efficient thing to do. We were traveling and wanted to make good time. There was no sense in me not doing it.
He looked over his shoulder to make sure I was following him inside. He was all sorts of flabbergasted when he saw that I was trying to do something that he considered his duty. He was also extremely uncomfortable and nervous because he really had to go. The look on his face was priceless, and I just said, "Go! I got this!"
While I was pumping the fuel, I just smiled at how chivalrous he was trying to be. Now, our relationship has evolved to where we split the duties at the gas station. I only really want that chivalrous side of him to come out at the pumps when it's cold and windy outside.