A minister who went to Japan tried to accommodate to the culture. When he and his wife met the entourage that greeted them at the airport, they respectfully bowed. At the same moment all of the Japanese men held out their right hands. Everyone burst out laughing. 

Early in a relationship most of us go to great lengths to bend to each other's preferences. Even Dave, the author of the book I am reading about having Asperger's, managed to pull it off while he was dating Kristin. It took effort, and left him exhausted but he managed. Then they got married and bam, the effort vanished. 

Why is that? I know the disparity between how I behaved when John and I were first falling in love and how I acted when he walked in the door yesterday is, well, let's just say there is a gap. Call it a canyon.

Complacency does settle in, like the dust on unused knickknacks. But I could try. 

This morning at breakfast the twins and I started scheming how we will greet Zack when he arrives home from Scotland in four weeks. We have missed him. Hope even planned how she will hug him. We will serve sparkling juice and cheesecake. The sign will span the driveway.

"Welcome back Zack!"

But hey, I have enough paper. I could whip one up for John on an ordinary day. He is worth it even if he does not go away for long.