I woke up early enough to feed chickens, if we had chickens. It was too early to even think of moving from underneath the warm and cozy covers on my side of the bed, so I nestled closer to The Salesman who has his own brown blanket on his side of the bed. It’s a blanket he bought on a business trip when he needed it and he may have become a bit like Linus in where it now goes with him. In July, it went with him from the bed, to my car turned ambulance that deposited him at the ER. The blanket covered him as he was on a stretcher to and from the Cath Lab and he had it in his lap when they wheeled him to the curb when the whole experience was over and he had another stent in his heart. This article is not about blankets; but if it were, I’d tell you that The Salesman thinks his blanket is the creme de la creme. And over on my side, I have a down comforter and a grey knotted Pottery Barn blanket that speaks luxury and comfort. So, this chilly morning, I pulled my covers closer round me and moved toward the middle of our bed. Now, I know exactly where the middle is because about 3 years ago, The Salesman decided we *needed* one of those beds that moves up and down so we have separate bases in one frame. I wasn’t as sure that was what we needed because I was a good sleeper and didn’t need an elevated this or that to rest well. In retrospect those adjustable mattresses were a life saver when I had that 6 month size tumor removed and needed help getting out of bed.
I just think all the way around that there should be more moving to the middle. I am not into arguing politics. I am not into arguing at all. Let’s just take our bed that has transformed so over the years from the two of us tall people sleeping in a regular size bed where feet hung off, to a spacious bed with remotes that will put us in a zero gravity position at the push of a button.
I woke up cold because we sleep with the house cool and I was drawn to The Salesman and the warmth he exudes. We are opposites even in sleeping – him with his brown blankie, and let’s just say little else, to me with my cuddle duds, socks, down comforter, and a stylish, yet warm grey silk blanket. You could look at the two of us and say, good grief, how do the two of you sleep in the same bed at night? We have our sides; but, we are drawn to the middle.
As a country as a whole, do you think as opposite as we are, that we could be drawn to the middle for the greater good? Those of us in socks willing to listen to those without socks?
Those of us with one brown blanket that believes there is only one blanket that will ever keep them warm, could they hear that the down comforter and the lovely, but warm grey silk blanket works well, too?
To the one who uses the remote umpteen times in the night, to the one who has to search for her remote in the nightstand, could they see from the others persons position?
To the one who says he would never.ever make up the bed, to the one who gets the stink eye saying, “Lora, don’t make up the bed while I’m still in it!” could they see value or purpose in what the other is doing?
So as my hand reaches out to the Salesman who too, has moved closer to that center dividing line of our bed, we clasp a hand, and lay there in the middle where we’ve met. I think the middle is a good place to be. In no way am I saying to sacrifice our core beliefs. No, I am saying the Salesman and I are a different as can be, and just relating our personal differences into a broader scope of what I’m seeing and hearing about so much in this day and time that is different than what I believe. I want to grow in my ability to really listen to someone that believes differently than I do. I don’t want to just listen to respond; but, really listen to the heart of another that believes in the very core of who they are that their *blanket* is the best. I want to be kind. I want to be brave. I want to be bold. I also think of the line from the Coca Cola song “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.”
I just want to say that I am thankful in my marriage of two people that are opposites, it is good to meet in the middle. The Salesman with his rustic brown blanket and me with my satiny silver toned one. In today’s red or blue climate, I have been so saddened by the division that seems to have become expansive by either side. I just wonder if there could be some meeting in the middle of two very different opinions? I want to listen to understand. I really do.
If we continue to tear apart the track the other person is on, we will soon see that the train of America derails because we tore up the other side. Could we be willing to see and hear the people on the other track? Not saying that I agree that his brown blanket is the only way to keep one warm and cozy at night; but, good night, that we are both for America and that if the train that she is, is to indeed to move forward, we need both tracks to keep her moving forward.
Let’s meet in the middle.
