A to Z Blogging Challenge: U is for Uxor

A rare uxor recently spotted at Torreya State Park

U is for Uxor

When SAM and I were teenagers, the word "wife," from the Latin uxor, was well on its way to becoming a dirty word. Marriages that lasted more than a few years were considered unusual by most of our peers. And an uxorious man would have been (and probably still is) considered unworthy of the term manly.

What, specifically, is so wrong about a man who--according to Webster's definition--dotes upon or is affectionately submissive towards his wife? Does it make him less of a man to treat her as he would like to be treated? As long as one partner in a marriage doesn't take advantage of that affectionate submission and expect to always be on the receiving end of it, there should be no problem. A marriage that works--most of the time--and lasts may seem mysterious, but it doesn't have to be.

The day these pictures were taken at Torreya back in late February, we celebrated our 31st anniversary. SAM graciously insisted that I should choose how we would spend the day. Even though his foot frequently bothers him (podiatrist says it's a neuroma), he was more than pleased and understanding when I chose a hike through the woods. Many of our first and most memorable dates were spent walking the hills of Southern Illinois. Walking and love go hand in hand for us. He delighted in letting me plan our day together. Guess who delights in giving him foot rubs?



Tupelo honey, the Cadillac of honeys, always stays smooth and never gets grainy

 Maybe love and marriage are supposed to be mysterious. If we knew exactly what makes them tick, then we probably wouldn't be so eager to want them. It's kind of like honey. Just think. It's really not much more than bee spit. But, oh, is it ever sweet and delicious!

I've been thinking a lot about relationships, specifically marriage, in the fiction that I write. Common practice these days has marriage either not making an appearance at all or winding up dead on arrival. Is it wrong to want to portray it in a good light? Maybe a few examples of it actually working despite the odds against it wouldn't be so bad.

What do you think? Does the topic of marriage ever come up in your work, and how is it portrayed?

Please visit A to Z Blogging Challenge for more "U's" posted by Challenge hosts and other writers.