放下厨铲　Drop That Spatula

There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.

～Martin Luther

It had become our routine and it wasn't a good one. Pete came through the door at about five o'clock each evening, right in the middle of my preparations for supper.Relief at the sound of his arrival washed over me.Our two young daughters were filthy from a day in our backyard sandbox and needed a good soak in the tub.

So Pete stopped in the kitchen just long enough to drop off his lunchbox, and I-never breaking my spatula's rhythm-offered him my cheek for a kiss.

Then, up the stairs he trudged, our girls whirling around behind him, chattering happily. And I exhaled into my long moment of peace, with only my spatula to tend to.

Throughout supper, our damp, fresh-smelling daughters continued their chatter as Pete and I managed a word or two to each other in between, and perhaps a wink or a smile.

By bedtime（and by that I mean our bedtime）we were spent. We'ddrop off to sleep, then wake the next day and do it all over again.

Our girls were happy and healthy, well-fed and shiny. But our marriage was malnourished and dull.

I'd had enough of our dreary routine. I'd had enough of viewing Pete as my backup, the other half of our two-person tag team.He was my partner in life and love, not just my partner in chores and child-rearing.It was time to do things differently, and I decided it would start with me.

One fateful day around five o'clock, when I heard the lovely sound of the front door and footsteps, I let the spatula clatter into the pan of whatever-was-sizzling and turned to greet my husband.

Nothing I did was earth-shattering. I grinned, said hello, and opened my arms for a hug.But the earth must have moved for Pete because his face lit up in a wide smile, his eyes sparkling.

I'm not sure if I burned dinner that night, what with my diverted attention and inactive spatula. I don't recall whether the girls got bathed or if they went to bed sandy.

I do know that Pete and I talked and laughed that night. I know that I felt younger, happier, and even prettier.I know（he told me）that Pete felt appreciated, even honored, because for those few moments he was my first priority.

And I know that for every evening since then that I have remembered my resolution to drop that spatula, our marriage has been the better for it, and our daughters have, too. Sand and all.

～Mandy Houk

美满的婚姻是最亲密、最友好、最迷人的伴侣关系。

——马丁·露泽

每天，我们都按部就班地生活，但生活老这么循规蹈矩确实不好。

皮特每天晚上五点左右回家。他到家那会儿，我通常都在准备晚饭。每当听到老公进门的声音，我都会松一口气。两个女儿在后院的沙箱里玩了一天，身上脏得很，得好好泡个澡才行。

因为急着给孩子洗澡，所以皮特把餐盒放到厨房就走了，没有多待上一会儿。我呢，从来没有停下手中的厨铲，只是把脸颊一伸，等着老公亲上一口。

然后，皮特就拽着两个小丫头上楼。两个小丫头在他身边闹腾，有说有笑。我就在厨房享受这难得的清静，摆弄厨铲，安心做饭。

该吃饭了，餐桌旁两个小丫头散发着刚洗完澡的清香，身上还有点湿漉漉的。她们继续说说笑笑。我和皮特在餐桌上的话都不多，有时说上一两句，有时仅仅挤一下眼，莞尔一笑。

终于可以上床睡觉了，此时已经很晚了，我们都已经筋疲力尽，倒头就睡。一觉醒来，我们又得重复前一天的生活。

我们的女儿生活快乐，身体健康，营养全面而且熠熠照人。但是，我们的夫妻生活营养不良，暗淡无光。

我简直受够了这种按部就班的日子。在我眼里，皮特只是我的后盾，是我们双人组合的搭档。不！他是我丈夫，是我爱情和生活的伴侣，而不只是居家养孩子的搭档。生活得有所改变，我决定先从自己做起。

在我决心改变的这个重要日子，又到下午五点来钟了。我听到皮特的脚步声和开门声，今天这声音听起来是那么亲切。我把厨铲往锅里一丢就去招呼老公了，管他锅里烧什么呢。

我绽开笑脸，跟老公打声招呼，然后伸出胳膊去拥抱他。我并不觉得自己做了什么惊天动地的大事，但老公可不这么认为。他是怎么想的全都写在脸上了——笑得跟朵花似的，双目熠熠生光。

晚上做饭时，我心不在焉，不知道晚餐有没有烧煳。我也记不起来丫头们那天有没有洗澡，不知道她们是不是满身沙子就上床了。

回想起那天晚上，我只记得和皮特一宿言欢。我当时觉得自己容光焕发，愈发年轻。我知道老公那天很感动，后来老公告诉我，他当时甚至有点受宠若惊。在那一刻，他在我眼里比什么都重要。

自那以后，我每晚都会记着及时放下厨铲。我们的婚姻生活因此而更加美满，女儿也快乐了不少。虽然孩子仍然玩得浑身是沙，家里琐事依旧不断，但是全家的生活却幸福多了。

——曼迪·霍克