What is the Deal with....Men

Someone help me here:


Men and women ARE different... I get that. Nature vs. nuture is a mystery. I, myself, have raised three boys who all have completely different personalities and have had my struggles dealing with parts of their personalities that I - shall I say - "dislike".


However, it has been the sensitive nature of my youngest one that I have had the most difficult time with. Even at 11, he doesn't deal well with disappointment... or injustice... or ...doing something wrong. Most anything out of the ordinary has been cause to break out into a good cry. Sometime around the time he was 5, I was discussing my frustration over this with my mom and what she said to me resonated so loudly that I will NEVER forget it... she said...


"You women, you want a sensitive husband but when you have a sensitive son you don't like it and want to change him."




Light bulb moment! Yes, it is true. At least for me, there is nothing more endearing than seeing a man cry... on his wedding day, or at the birth of his child, or even while watching a touching movie. For a man to show his feelings is so touching... and so rare.


Is my husband one of "those" sensitive natured men... soooooo not! I know deep down that he loves me and, most of the time, I would rate our marriage as better than the average. But sensitive and romantic are not in his vocabulary and communication is even further down on the list.


So how do men and women live together with such different ideals? How do people actually make marriages work when they are so far apart on the relationship radar as far as wants and needs? Don't get me wrong.. I am not saying my marriage is in trouble or anything. I just want to know what I can do to build on it...make it stronger. The fact that we both had failed marriages in the past means we both failed at building that strong, lasting, relationship. We failed at establishing that bond that should withstand the blast of an atom bomb.


I don't want to repeat mistakes. I want to work at tying a knot in that cord that connects our hearts together... so that it cannot break apart. I guess my point is... that kind of thing may be easy to do with a willing, sensitive partner... but what if you don't have that? Then how is this accomplished? Can it be accomplished or am I wasting time, effort, and breath?


My latest effort is the book Love Dare (a year of devotions for couples). Needless to say, it was not met with the response I was looking for. It was more of an attitude of "well, it wouldn't be my choice, but I'll do it because I know you want me to..." After three days, I still have to grab the book and initiate each session. Is this normal?


I am babbling so I am going to end this.... I will forge on with the book..wish me well.