by Kimberly Richardson,
The first day I laid eyes on my husband I knew he would be mine. My goal was to get his attention and keep it. We established a friendship and a few years into our friendship we decided to turn our friendship into a relationship. He was my high school sweetheart. We loved each other to pieces. After a year of dating we got married on May 22, 1997. In our marriage, I will admit I took my husband for granted. I took for granted that he would be here forever. I was a good wife but I could have done some thing’s better. I could have nagged less, listened more and appreciate the small things that my husband had done for me.
What I would do to see my husband’s boots in the middle of the floor, his dirty clothes on the floor, dirty dishes in the sink, etc. I will never have that opportunity with him ever. In marriage, we sometimes take our spouse for granted. The day the coroner knocked on my door and changed my life forever with the news he delivered; I did not, and still to this day, remember the things I nagged my husband about.
Wives and husbands appreciate your spouse. Life is short and death is final. Do not allow a pair of boots in the middle of the floor ruin your entire week. It is easier to clean it up and appreciate the most important things. No one is perfect. Take time out to date your spouse, make love to your spouse and appreciate your spouse.
There will be challenges in your marriage, but the biggest challenge ever is burying your spouse. Every day you are blessed to see your spouse; take that time to appreciate them before it is too late.
The day I lost my husband of 6 years to a fatal car accident, I felt like my world had ended. At age 24 , I was a suddenly a widow and left alone to care for my 6-year-old son. After being in a “rut” for five years, I decided to make a change, if not for myself, I know I needed to do it for my son. So, in 2011, I founded Widows of Opportunity, for women, who had suffered the loss of a spouse. Widows of Opportunity is dedicated to support, educate and help widows no matter their age, race, length of being a widow or circumstances surrounding spousal death.
BMWK – please don’t let a day go by that you don’t show appreciation for your spouse. Please leave Kim Richardson a few encouraging words in the comments below, thanking her for this wake-up call and for the work that she is doing in Widows of Opportunity.
Kimberly Richardson is the President of Widows of Opportunity, an organization that serves as a safe place for widows to help them cope with their loss.
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