Ode to Men or, More Specifically, My Husband...

I love my husband more than words can describe.

Before I met him, I was a pretty big feminist. I was all for heralding the greatness of women at the expense of men. I didn't hate men, I was actually quite enamored by the opposite sex, but I saw how unjustly women are treated in society and it angered me to a degree. I knew a few good men, namely my father and brother, but had had poor experiences with others. Needless to say, I was all about woman power.

And then Tim happened.

The instant our eyes met, I knew there was something wonderfully amazing about him. He had gentle, kind eyes and a reassuring smile. He was strong and unbelievably handsome. And one could tell, just by looking at him, that there were many complicated sides to this man.

I was hooked (a phrase that, as a man who loves to fish, he enjoys hearing).

Over the course of our dating and, now our marriage, I have learned a lot about him that surprises me to no end.

Here are just a few:

1. Tim loves to hunt and fish (emphasis on fish), but has the biggest respect for God's creation I have ever seen. For the most part, he believes in taking what you need and will use and then leave the rest.


2. He knows nearly everything there is to know about Alaska's wild - from the birds that occupy the trees to the different types of grass in the field to what you can or cannot eat. He's the kind of guy anyone would love to be with in a survival situation.


3. He's a gentleman. He is always going out of his way to serve others before himself.


4. He is very artistic. This man can do it anything: play the piano by ear, paint, take beautiful pictures, dance (he taught me to ballroom dance on our sixth date), act, sing. You name it, he can do it.


5. He is sensitive and deep. He likes to claim that, as a man, he has a blank head full of empty thoughts, but I know better. He considers everything before deciding which path to take. He has things that bother him and move him. He can be just as easily hurt as I can be.


6. Most importantly, he is the most loving and thoughtful man alive. When he commits to loving someone, he does it with his whole heart. He very honestly believes that his wife and child are the most important people in the world and he fiercely defends us and provides for us.

That is only the tip of who Tim is and only a small fragment of what makes me love him.

Loving Tim has shown me something about men that I never considered: they don't get credit for what they really do.

We women are quick to point out their flaws. We are quick to judge them for everything they apparently lack. I think, because we have had to fight to prove our equality, we have gotten into this mode of not appreciating the finer points of men.

We "ooh" and "ah" over their good looks and nice bodies, but refer to them as unfeeling neanderthals. We claim that they are insensitive and unmotivated. And some are. But should we judge the entire sex by those that give them a bad name? And, in reality, how much of that is truly a man thing? I am starting to believe that the main reason men act over-confident and insensitive is because they are insecure. And because, for centuries, they have been told to behave a certain way and ignore their emotions.

I have a new-found appreciation of real men. They are the ones who work hard for their families, who are real with their wives, who are great daddies, who are intricate and lovable. Men who encompass true strength: strength of character and faith.

I have learned that gender differences are not such a bad thing. We can be equal in many ways, but it is okay to embrace the distinctions that make men and women perfect for each other.

I want to thank my husband for showing me how incredible men can truly be. You are my balance in life and I am so blessed to wake up next you each morning.

I love you, babe, more and more with each passing day!