My Solomon

As you can see, Rich wins hands down on the staying-in-touch and posting-to-the-blog race. I’m so glad he stays on top of that because I enjoy reading it like everyone else – it’s so nice to have a family journal, so to speak, of our experiences here! He does a great job!

Aside from writing, Rich has another strength that I have come to appreciate more and more over the years. Since we have been here, it has come to my attention repeatedly because I’ve so often relied on it here. It’s a little bit hard for me to describe, but more or less, it is his ability to take what for me are awkward situations or relationships with people, and find the very best way to approach things.

For example, I have faced some very new circumstances here when it comes to interacting with people at church, people who we employ, or simply strangers at the mall. So often I am at a loss as to how to handle uncomfortable questions or requests. I’m not sure how much instruction/correction to give those we have hired to do something at our home. I’m afraid I’ve offended someone, but don’t know how to best bring it up or heal the wound.

I talk to Rich about it and he always seems to have such a wonderful way of approaching things. I’m always so surprised because his solutions are simple, straightforward, honest, kind, and fair … but usually words or attitudes I would never think to use on my own. Sometimes his patience shows through – the best approach is to give things time, wait and see. Always he considers the feelings of all involved. Just as I’ve so often observed with him in his business dealings, he never feels cheated just because someone else attains something good for them. At times I have questioned his generosity when I felt it was excessive, but he always reminds me that if both parties come away happy, that is the best possible outcome.

It has blessed my life and my relationships to have someone who sees situations more clearly and objectively than I do and whose desire is for my happiness as well as the happiness and wellbeing of others. The peace I receive when I learn not only ways to handle things, but to build up others and make amends, is priceless to me. And so is he.

Happy Father’s Day to our wonderful husband and dad, our wise Solomon who we couldn’t live without!