CarrollBlog 3.1

He was grinning when he sat down, as if something wonderful had just happened. Apparently it had. "I've just solved the secret of my marriage. Paper towels." He announced.
I looked at him the way you're supposed to when someone sounds vaguely insane. "Paper towels are the secret to your marriage?"
"Yes. Ann (his wife) has a thing for paper towels. She uses them like crazy on everything and basically refuses to use dishtowels or anything else in the kitchen. For years I've been saying to her 'Why don't you save some trees and use less of them?' In other ways she's very good about recycling and really cares about the environment, but not with paper towels. With them she's a lunatic."
I waited for him to continue, not knowing where this was going.
"For years we've been arguing about this absurd subject. Never major fights, but low burner stuff. I tell her it's not the paper towels, it's the waste. She listens every time and then completely ignores me. It's a ridiculous little thing I know, but it has always irritated me and she knows it.
"Anyway, the other night before dinner she washed her hands at the sink and tore some paper towels off the roll on the counter. Right next to them were hand towels I had just washed and stacked there. I put them exactly in that spot so she'd use them and not the paper ones. As usual though she ignored them and did what she always did-- reached for the paper. I was going to spout off about it for the 80th time when all of a sudden I had an epiphany. A light came on in my head and I thought "Just let her have her paper towels. Stop being an idiot about this and let her use all the #$%& paper towels she wants until her last day on earth."
A second later I said exactly that to her. She grew a smile on her face as big as the sun; it was huge. She came across the kitchen and hugged me. That happened a week ago. Today she said, "I can't tell you how that silly little thing made me love you more. I keep thinking about it. You just said to yourself that's who she is, no matter how weird or eccentric, ignore it. I'm going to leave her alone about it from now on. Let her be who she is. I really love you for that."
He reached into the bag he had brought to the table and showed me what was inside: Paper towels.

"May the blessings of these practices awaken your own inner wisdom and inspire your compassion. And through the blessing of your heart may the world find peace."