My wife is a genius. That’s what I think anyway, and the reason is that she seems to be able to think up presents and gifts for any occasion. Take for example my own 40th Birthday gift, it was wonderful.
She decided to treat me to a trip into town, Manchester as it happens, to an art gallery. Now to many people that doesn’t sound much, and in fact on the train on the way home we met a woman who had had her 40th birthday the week before, and when she found out that I wanted to go to the peace and quiet of an art gallery she thought I was mad. She, apparently, had had a mad time at her own party. She loved it.
Anyone who meets me thinks that I should have had a big party. They will tell you that I am noisy enough, and I love being with people. But to be honest, only my wife truly knows me. And she was right – to spend the day drawing the images of famous artwork, surrounded by my family, my kids off my hands for a change, was heaven.
I think though that women as a whole are much better at this process than are men. Men tend to think ‘what would I like…I hope they would like it too!’ Which explains all the waste of time type gifts that men get for their women.
On the other hand, women tend to think into the place of the other person. My personal view is that it is millennia of caring for kids when they are too young to speak, and having to know by intuition what their needs are! Whatever, men are faced with the problem of thinking up 40th birthday gift ideas for women which is a nigh on impossible task for their ape brains!
It’s my wife’s birthday next year: 40 as it happens. And I will have to come up with something that works for her. And I will try as best I can to think myself into her shoes. I will try to avoid the common mistakes and try to think into her shoes. Thankfully she is already dropping hints.
And that is my final word on the subject. Really men, if you can’t come up with any ideas, ask. Because asking at least means you can be in the right ball park. Otherwise, you might be making a big mistake with that pink DIY drill you have been considering…
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