On being in a relationship

Y’know, I’d forgotten how awesome it is to be in a relationship. It’s especially great to be sharing this experience with someone so special.

Barry makes me really happy.

But, I’ve become quite independent during the two years of singlehood, it seems, and I’ve all but forgotten how to take help and input from someone else. It is an adjustment for sure, but definitely one that I’m happily putting my effort towards. It’s easier for Barry, because he hasn’t been living on his own for years, but he has a lot of patience for the shift in mindset I’m doing my best to make.

Take today, for instance…

Barry, who’s on vacation while here in Vancouver for two weeks, and because he’s such a helpful soul, decided to do something nice for me and research mounting options for my 52″ tv. I’m having custom cabinets installed along one full wall of my living room, and getting rid of the “open concept” tv stand that gives me no storage, and wires everywhere. Unfortunately, he didn’t know that I’d already asked around, and have a solution that is reasonably priced in mind…

Barry went to a home theatre store and got some bad advice (they said I’d have to take down the whole wall!!! and reinforce everything from the inside of the wall – which is completely bad advice, especially if you are working with a tight budget). When he heard this, he then went to my cabinet maker to have them build in a quote for mounting the tv into the cabinet (which, sadly, I didn’t want, because I’ll be renting my place out to others in a few years time, and it needs to be a universal mounting system for someone else’s tv).

So, when I met him for lunch, and heard about all the work he’d gone to, I didn’t think about my reaction and blurted out that I already had solutions in mind (I worked in home theatre for years, after all) — Without giving any thought to the fact that he’d put so much effort into being helpful.

*sigh*

It’s second nature to those that are used to having someone in their lives to help, but for me… I need to learn to just say “thank you”, and be grateful for the help.

I’m getting there. And, thankfully, I have a really patient boyfriend…