Holiday Joy: Dale Hansen, Practice Administrator, Family Hearing and Balance Center

I was at work while some new equipment was being installed in the office, and I came across the following opinion piece by Joshua Rogers from Fox News. As we are preparing for the Holidays, I found this story…emotional and relatable. I couldn’t stop tearing up and it left me with wonderful feelings. Then I went to YouTube and listened to the song he referenced…I don’t want to spoil it so that is pinned at the bottom of this post. I fought with myself to stop tearing up over this experience. I didn’t want to embarrass myself with the installers.

And then I didn’t care. I felt wonderful. I experienced holiday memories that I hadn’t thought of for years, and there is so much ugliness in the news and general conversation, I wanted others to hear the joy that I heard in this story and this song. This is a copy of the post because the link has ‘hater comments’ attached. I wanted a pure experience for us. Happy Holidays!

~Dale Hansen, Practice Administrator

Joshua Rogers: I kissed my wife, my daughter saw me and said one word I won’t ever forget

Never underestimate the power of your love for your spouse.

One day, my wife and I were listening to a playlist of Disney songs with our two little girls when the sentimental love song “I See the Light” from “Tangled” came on.

I walked over to my wife, who was in the kitchen, took her in my arms and started dancing with her slowly.

As the song approached the final chorus, I looked in my peripheral vision and suddenly realized we weren’t alone. Our daughters were standing there watching us in silence.

The song approached the end and as the strings played the last notes, I decided to give the girls a Hollywood ending. I took my wife’s face in my hands and kissed her.

After I pulled away, I looked over and saw my oldest daughter’s face lit up with adoration, and her eyes filled with tears. Then she came over, buried her face in my wife’s legs, and cried.

“Why are you crying?” my wife asked.

My daughter was at a loss for words, so I tried a different angle.

“Can you at least give me one word to describe how you’re feeling?” I asked.

My daughter paused, looked up at us and said, “Loved.”

It reminded me of seeing my dad kiss my mom, leaving me feeling pleasantly embarrassed as a child. I wanted to watch their smooch and hide my face at the same time. And while there were no words to describe how I felt at the time, looking back, I know what it was: I felt loved.

My Prince Charming and Cinderella had built a castle of affection that surrounded me, making me feel me safe and protected — at least I felt that way when the walls were strong.

Over time, life did irreparable damage to my parents’ marriage. The death of two children, serious health issues, financial troubles and conflict — they all took their toll.

After 17 years together, Prince Charming and Cinderella finally turned and walked away from each other. Their love story was over.

I was an orphan of sorts — a little less loved.

In the years after my parents’ divorce, my mom eventually began doing something that meant a great deal to me: She would voluntarily speak kindly of my dad, affirming his good qualities and she would even share memories of their happier days.

It never ceased to leave me feeling a little lighter, a little more hopeful. Perhaps it made me feel a little more loved.

Never underestimate the power of your love for your spouse. Your kids are watching as you smile and give each other a peck on the lips when you say goodbye to each other in the morning.

They’re listening when you compliment one another. And even if your marriage has fallen apart, your kind words about each other are communicating a powerful message: Love doesn’t have to die, even if a marriage doesn’t make it.

Demonstrating marital love to our children is a privilege, a unique chance to be both a good parent and a good spouse.

To love each other well is to love our children well.