The Nest

Of the instincts I lack, nesting probably tops the list. This becomes most clear when I spend time alone for several days and notice the ways my wife has made our home inviting. Conventional wisdom - a polite substitute for stereotyping - might say this instinct is often missing in men. Is that consistent with your experience?

I clearly recollect my early adult years when my Mother would visit my apartments and complain there was no comfortable place to sit. Although she was right, somehow I'd forget until she next visited. Some combination of insensitivity, immaturity and little extra cash likely contributed to my dearth of furniture back then. But reflecting on how infrequently the comfort or appeal of my surroundings has ever crossed my mind over the ensuing forty five years, I'm forced to consider there may be something else at work.

Almost without exception, the rugs my wife picks, the art she chooses, the little touches she selects to adorn each room all make me happy - when I'm mindful. And my gratitude for those things helps erase the dreadful mental picture I get imagining what a nest of my own making would look like.