Love is a beautiful thing, no doubt about it. And if you’ve been married to the same person for years and still feel loved, you’ve won the top prize. But love comes with a price tag—a whole price list. The connection deepens, but along with it comes a sort of unspoken contract, complete with double standards and unequal rules.
Take this classic example: when HE gets sick, SHE suddenly transforms into a one-woman medical team. She’s the wife, the mom, the nurse, the psychologist, the herbalist, and sometimes even a human search engine for WebMD symptoms. Full-time caretaker? Oh, absolutely—day and night—on top of her usual chores. But when SHE gets sick? HE’s like, “Aww, honey, you don’t look so good. Go to the doctor!” Yeah, hubby, maybe call the version of me that takes care of you when you get the sneezes.
Now, here’s where things take an audacious turn. As if women didn’t already have enough on their plate, men decided they wanted in on the whole hormonal funfest, and now we have Andropause—a.k.a. the “Male Pause.” Seriously? So now they have their version of mood swings, irritability, random fatigue, and trouble concentrating? Come on! What’s following—hot flashes and knitting circles?
Listen, guys, we love you, but can’t we have menopause? Let us have something to whine about without you joining the “me-me” club. You don’t need to hop on this sympathy train; it’s crowded enough. We were hoping you could give us your care or leave us alone while we age gracefully (or not) in peace.
Dana Obeid
