Remember Not To Forget

This evening I called up my girlfriend today to let her know I was thinking about her as today is her birthday. She is all of 35, yet she doesn't look a day over 28 (and that's on a bad day).
When I asked her if she had any big plans, she proceeded to tell me that her husband had not yet wished her a happy birthday. (I'll interject at this point and tell you that she lives in DC which means she's three hours later than I am, which means his time is running out.) She was clearly hurt. She sounded down. Her phone was inundated with text messages from her friends wishing her a happy birthday, yet nothing from her husband, who by the way is out of town, and has already spoken to her several times throughout the day.

It got me thinking about how many forgotten days - birthday, anniversary, Mother's day,...whatever, that my husband or any other husband has forgotten. Granted it's not that many for me, but the deal is this: with women, it doesn't have to be very many. One is enough. With all my heart, I believe that those days are simply not a big deal to men. I don't believe they are being hurtful, or that they don't care. I honestly think that they just plain and simple forget.

For us women however we cannot understand that. We cook for you, we clean for you, we love you and our question is the same one that my girlfriend had, "How can you forget the special day of someone that loves you so dearly?" After she said that, I jumped up on my soapbox because she was right,...how can you not remember your wife's birthday, anniversary, or whatever day means something to her? I have to admit, I've been there myself and it does hurt. And the reason it hurts is because women need, yes NEED to feel special. And we want it to be our husbands that make us feel that way. All he needed to do was call her up and wish her a happy birthday. He could've texted her and she would have taken that. She didn't need a gift. She just needed to know that he remembered. The point is he forgot, which in woman-speak means he forgot HER.

So men, please - set your alarms, write it on your calendars, put sticky notes up around the house, get a trusted friend to call you up and remind you about the day, whatever it takes, just don't forget. I know most of us women are needier than you all. And yes, some of us are high-maintenance, and probably even pains-in-the-butts, but the truth is that a woman in love will pull the moon right out of the sky for her man if he asks her to. Indulge us and I promise you, at some point, we'll make it worth your while.

As for my lovely, dear, Trinidadian friend I say this to her: You are divine. You are smart, sassy, strong, funny, caring, and more full of life than anyone I know. And the truth of the matter is that every day that you are around is cause for celebration! When he remembers,...and he will,...he'll feel the same way too.