His and Hers

Funny how we slipped into those roles
The division of labor, his and hers
The separate spices, the separate shelves
But it was an organic process, there was no deliberation
No dilemmas really, we even finessed the dishwasher situation

As we stand, armed with toothbrushes, looking into the mirror
The back and forth of our morning rituals
The silver hairs that are now starting to adorn our heads
Wondering how we'd be viewed by our younger selves
We gather ourselves and pause briefly
Before we confront the day's agenda
Splash. How did we get here?
Children, mortgages, jobs, responsibility

Rinse with cold water, replace the dental weapons
A hug, a head nod, a kiss, a taste of peppermint
Those things to remember: the doctor's appointment
Missing a screw, the electrical outlet
The light bulb that needs to be replaced (buy L.E.D)
The part of the back fence that's now falling over
Pick up logistics for the kids, the parent teacher conference
Bureaucracy at work, the annual certification, compliance
Calls to make, and even holiday plans

Intertwined, entangled
Concentric, commingled
A small moment: we reach out simultaneously
Touch
A touch to give comfort
A touch again, tender
Care, reassurance
Forever

Side by side, we smile and stand together
And remember that we chose each other
His and hers, we turn away from the mirror and look
And remember why we chose each other

His and Hers, a playlist

A soundtrack for this note, a few ballads of affirmation (spotify version)

• I Know It's You by Donny Hathaway
• By Your Side by Sade
• I'm Glad You're Mine by Al Green
• With You by Prince

Bonus beats: The Lovers by Alexander O'Neal and The Spark by The Roots

File under: life, love, culture, observation, perception, relationships, social, poetry, toli

Writing log: September 18, 2022