Crickets and Choir

     Crickets and Choir 

Long time ago there lived a little old couple who lived out in the country..  One evening after dinner the husband invited his wife to sit with him on the back porch to watch the sun set.  The elderly wife hung up her apron, pour a glass of lemonaid for the both of them, and headed out the back door to join her husband in watching the day sky end.  They both sat in silence, sipping their lemonaid, rocking back and forth on their rockers up on the porch overlooking a beautiful field.  The sky went from a sparkling blue to dazzling shades of pink, orange and lavender as the sun was setting over the horizon.

Crickets from out in the field started to chirp out in the distance.  The wife closes her eyes and rests her head on the back of the chair.  A small smile emerges from her lips as she listens to the sweet melody of crickets in the evening air.  She invisions them chirping a song  picked out special  just for her husband and herself out in the field. 

"My goodness!  Would you listen to that."  the husband chimes in.

"Oh yes!"  the wife whispers back opening her eyes reaching out her hand to her husband still rocking in the chair next to hers.

Not noticing his wifes hand stretched out to him he barks back, "HOW CAN ONE RELAX OUT HERE WITH ALL THAT NOISE!  I really need to do something about all those crickets.  They are making such a loud racket that it is hard for me to think!"



     This story isn't about right or wrong.  It is about how different two people can view the same thing and both be correct.  The old lady was mesmerised by the sounds of the night while the husband was annoyed by the loud interrupting noise that came out of the field. Even though they are one in marriage they still have their own view on a situtation.

     My husband and I use the phrase "Crickets and Choir" often in our lives.  When we debate why we like something one way and not the other we usually end the debate by saying "Crickets and Choir" to remind ourselves that we are both right.  It is about learning about each other and their point of view.  At times we can get so wrapped up in how we see something that we don't look at how our spouse can see it differently.  Perhaps seeing a situtation differently can open our eyes to learn and understand our spouse's view on things. 

     The other night my husband and I were watching Bram Stoker's Dracula.  He views that movie as a horror movie with blood and death.  I viewed it as a love story of a husband who was trying to reconnect his soul to that of his late wife (see February's blog on my complete thoughts on the movie).  Neither one of us was wrong.  It was just how in our mind we pictured the movie differently. 

     My husband and I differ on how we like our goulash.  I like mine a little liquidly while he enjoys his goulash thick and hearty.  Again, neither one of us is wrong but I now know how he likes it.  When he is home I will fix goulash the way he likes it, thick and hearty, because I know that makes him happy.  When he is out working I can add more liquid to the mix for the way I like it.  It is a compromise we nonverbally agreed with and we are both happy.

     I believe everyone should have the story of "Crickets and Choir" tucked away in their hearts.  It teaches couples to accept differences in each other and learning to compromise on those differences.  That is what helps make a marriage work.   

                      God's Cricket Choir

See for yourself.  Music or just noise?