‘I work full time and over time, I’m a full-time student getting a Master’s Degree. But still, I cook dinner.’: Woman says ‘it’s the little things you can do to help your spouse’

“I still cook dinner, seems like a no brainer right? You might be asking why I said ‘still cook’ instead of just ‘cook.’ Well, that is because I work full time plus over time, and I’m a full time student getting a Master’s Degree. But, I still cook dinner.

Not every night. Hell, not even most nights. If I am being completely honest, take-out has been a life saver more often than not. But when I can, I do. Like tonight, I got off work early and went to the store to pick up a few things we needed. I came home and threw a few things in the crock pot. I took a test and wrote an essay. It can be done.

The point I’m trying to make is it isn’t my ‘job’ to cook dinner, and it wasn’t a ‘job I gave up to go to school.’ It is something that is a shared chore in our house, that Stephen makes sure is done more often than me. But it’s the effort I’m talking about. It doesn’t have to be dinner — it could be doing the laundry, taking the dogs to the vet, putting fresh sheets on the bed. Literally anything.

Too often we get wrapped up in our separate lives outside of our marriage, because let’s face it, as humans we tend to be a little self-important. I, for one, am guilty of it. It’s easy — you worked late, you have a test due, training was hard today. We all have outside stressors that effect how we behave in our marriages. That’s life. But reign yourself in. Cook dinner. It’s the little things you can do to help your spouse when they do so much to support you and lift you up.

My husband and I do our best to be good to one another. We’re not perfect by any stretch, but we try and that is what counts when it comes down to it. I may not be able to do much with the time I have, but I do what I can to make his life just a little easier and to show him I care.

We get caught up in, ‘Who’s job was it?’ Why does it have to be assigned all the time? I’ll tell you, so we can assign blame if it isn’t done right or even at all. My challenge to you is this: do something that is ‘not your job.’ Do the grocery shopping, wash the dog, vacuum, something… anything that shows your partner you recognize what they do for you and you appreciate it. Separate your thoughts from the mundane and put a little effort into these 24 hours we’re given. Life is hard, but you aren’t doing it alone.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Harley Murphy. You can follow her journey on Instagram and her blog. Submit your own story here and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.