Effort and Follow-Through, Actions and Words

                                     

                                                                     

Effort isn't exactly the largest word in the English lexicon... but I'd be willing to wager that it has one of the largest potential impacts of any word in any language.  When we get down to it, effort is the catalyst to achievement, the key to change, and the facilitator of open, honest communication.  The true value of effort lies not only in seeing it from your partner and the confidence and  reciprocity that it inspires, but also the honest, whole-hearted effort that you bring to the table  yourself.  There are many things that are easy:  Falling off a log, making slow sweet love on a Saturday morning,  holding hands and talking while it rains on your roof, yes these things are all easy, but sometimes effort isn't.

Being there for your partner can mean listening when you are tired, showing up when perhaps you'd rather be doing something else, saying you understand when maybe you don't and especially taking that extra minute to give them some time to be themselves... Sometimes I have to set up a "mommy time" intervention for June.  June is a fantastic housekeeper and a hard worker and I will defiantly admit that our boys definitely keep her on her toes.  I'll be honest I'm really not much different than anyone else, I have my own interests, and sometimes at the end of a long day, I'm not much for talking, sharing, or being loquacious... but I see the positive effect that  my effort has on my family, my home and my relationship. 


                                      



It stands to reason that along with effort, honesty and action also make up important parts of a DD/TTWD relationship.  It's easy to say something. make conditions,  promises, consequences.  It's true what they say though, there is a time for words and there is a time for actions and then again I also say that talk is cheap.




                                                 

Following through can be a true test for both parties... I realize for my words to carry the proper weight in my home, I must be committed not only to be the best man I can be for my woman, and my children, but to further illustrate the importance of commitment, honor, dependability and to go back a bit...effort. June really is a good girl and in truth does not often warrant or require correction.  It is still easy to see the value of  being a gentleman or lady of one's word... even and especially when it isn't easy or fun or life isn't convenient.  That dedication, that solid foundation can in fact be a source of comfort during times of stress, a source of surety and a demonstration of love that speaks much louder than words ever could.



                                       


One of the beautiful things about DD/TTWD is that we learn very quickly that indeed there is no one perfect and that indeed we require grace, patience and hearts that yearn for growth and affirmation through the consistent application of patience, effort and follow through.  It would be easy to do less, but at what cost? Take the time to communicate. Apply effort and understand that indeed actions speak volumes more than any amount of words.  Sometimes following through will test you, there is no getting around that, sometimes giving your partner what they need, when they need it will hurt....but in so doing, you elevate your relationship to a new level where the air is clear and our bond solidifies into a unshakable foundation.


                                            

Her POV:

Daddy gives me his every effort. He shows up every single day. He makes time for our family, I love to watch him roll around on the floor with the boys, or pick them up and carry them around over his head like a sack o'taters, lol (I did tell you Daddy is a BIG man, right?). I love to watch him sit down with the boys over homework, while I make dinner, and watch his love and patience carry them through difficult assignments.

Daddy has a hard job. He sees some of the ugliest of behavior. And he has to treat the perpetrators with a kindness they have not shown to others. This wears on him, deeply. I can hear it in his voice some days when he calls because he just needs to hear my voice, to touch some piece of home and comfort to get him through a day. Some days, he walks through the door and his eyes are haunted. When we see man's inhumanity to man we can't unsee, or unhear, or unimagine, and it could easily strip our own humanity.

But he comes in to his family, and he shows up. It's a struggle sometimes. But you can see him, stripping layer by layer of his turmoil. Sometimes it's classified, he can't even get the balm of my assurance. All I can do is tell him that I see it, and wrap my arms around him and make home his refuge.

How easy in the sight of this for him to shut down? How easy to check out? How much easier to nurture his own wounds and walk away, than to see the struggling child, or to see his stressed out wife? But he shows up. He sees us. He shucks the world and assumes the responsibility of this family. There are the times then that I offer myself to him, for his stress relief. And there are others when I am struggling, those are the hard ones, those are the ones where he has to be bigger, and stronger and more. How easy to check out? He never does. He takes us in his hands and he leads. He gives us every single thing that each of us needs. He never, ever cheats us, shortchanges us. And in so doing, he makes us unbreakable indeed.

I love you, my Darling, my greatest joy, and one of my three greatest blessings.

Appreciating the Little Things

                                              

Have you ever thought about the little things that your partner does to make your life, your home, and your world a better place to live in?  Upon realization of the impact that your love has, did you take the time to truly appreciate their effort to make life better, easier, and brighter for you?  If you've ever been out "people watching" as June and I sometimes do, I'm sure you've seen it, you know the difficult teenager, the ungrateful wife, the petulant child that didn't get exactly what they wanted. It makes me sad. I mean are we, as a society so far removed from each other that we can't recognized an honest effort to make each other happy?

                                             

 I have found that with June, she truly gets it. If I mention a dish my mom made when I was a child, she starts looking for recipes.  If I mention something I think is sexy she does it without thinking about it. Noticing these things, I can do no less than offer her my sincere thanks and make a deep and honest effort to reciprocate as often as I can.  When she mentions that her feet hurt, I rub them for her. When the kids become overly exuberant... I distract them for her.  Me, I personally think bringing your partner the little things that make them thrive is sexy... Maybe it sounds a little chauvinistic, but I love how domestic June is, she keeps our home comfortable, warm,  and she nourishes the minds and bodies of all under our roof and for that she will always have my deepest and frequently spoken appreciation.

                                                     

Sometimes it's being there for each other at the end of a long day, frequently my job drains me and even if she can't tend to my physical needs right  away she's always there with a hug, a kiss, and a cold glass of water... She gives me the 15 minutes I need, when I get home, to decompress and get ready to give  my family my best.  When we first became acquainted with each other, the first time I pretty much knew she was "the one" when I saw how she relished taking care of me. She had tears streaming down my cheeks when she took my hand and told me that she could love someone like me... Such a moment is so small, but so deep like the rings rippling outward from the stone. A microcosm unto itself, this moment huge in meaning small on the outside sparked the beginnings of something beautiful

                                                           
                                                                                                  


It is easy to imagine and even apply these concepts to a DD/TTWD relationship. When you think about it, that's what it's really all about isn't it? Taking the time to say thank you is a lost art in this country and at least in this house we will know reciprocity, selflessness and love. We will attempt to do not only the obvious gestures but the small ones as well. June my love, I honestly don't say thank you enough for all that you do, for all that you contribute, for all that you are. I strive to continually improve as your HoH, your husband, your leader, I want you to know how much you bring me and the boys. Thank you for being patient, giving, flexible, sweet and good-natured even when things are chaotic... You bring our home peace.

                                                  

We would suggest that there is much to be gained by exploring  the impact that you have on each other. Say thank you, and look to the memories you have made and search those small moments for the magic that makes a good couple into a great couple. Each day is a new opportunity for thankfulness, Reciprocity, Growth and Discovery! What will you find?  What will you say to each other? We would encourage you all in appreciating the little things that make our relationships big!

                                                          

Her POV:

 I know that I am hopelessly old-fashioned. I know that I am not politically correct. I know that I am excruciatingly happy. I love this man. When I see the weight of the world on his shoulders, I am compelled to ease his burden in the ways that I can, a touch, small considerations, closeness when he needs it, or space when he requires it. I wish to make our home a place of peace, a safe harbor. I love to cook and nourish my family, and pray for the strength to nourish their hearts, spirits and souls as well as their bodies.

There is nothing better than to hear him speak of a remembered moment of pleasure and be able to reproduce that for him. There is nothing better than seeing his eyes close and hear that happy sound as he takes a bite of butterscotch pie that his grandmother made and no one could replicate, or the oatmeal chocolate chip hazelnut cookies like his mom used to make, or a key lime pie he proclaims as the best in the world. These are very small things that I can do for him to not only tell him,but show him his worth to me.

A long time ago, another lifetime really, when I was going through a very difficult time and talking with a friend who was a Christian counselor, she told me that I was a righteous woman.  I looked up the quote she had recited, and found Proverbs 31. I appreciated her assessment and thought she was crazy, I was not that good. I was just me, and surely if I was that, I would have been enough for someone.

The concept intrigued me, though, and I researched more, trying to understand. I surely didn't believe that I was this woman - this was an ideal, a goal that I could strive for. I found a beautiful sermon that outlined the characteristics of this extraordinary woman: she is strong, while remaining graceful, poised and dignified; she is trustworthy; as a habit of life, she does good for her husband and family; she is industrious; she is compassionate, she has a husband worthy of respect; strength and dignity are hers; she looks to the future with a smile.

"This is not about size, weight, or magazine cover beauty. This is about character and lifestyle that will be a blessing to any husband or family. And this woman, a wise man will seek her or help her to become just such a woman." I am not this woman, but I strive to become like her. And with God's grace I was given a wise man to help me on my journey. He along with this wonderful life we live help me to be my truest self, and we were both given this community to support us on our journey.

Why I submit

I defer to Ward in our everyday life. There is a softness in my heart for him. I do things that serve him and our family. I take pleasure in making our home a place of comfort and respite. I enjoy them coming home from school and work to a home filled with warmth and the smells of good foods cooking and baking, and the underlying scent of lavender. I enjoy the looks of pleasure on their faces when they sink into home. That is this thing that we create. It doesn't matter where it is. It can be on vacation. It can be with family. Where ever we four are together, we are home.

In this place, in our home, we serve each other - it is our way. I will bring laundry into the living room and he will pull the basket between us and fold. I will see his glass empty and get up to refill it. He will pull my feet into his lap and massage my feet and legs. I will sit at his feet and take his boots off when he comes home and do the same, or slide behind him and massage his neck and shoulders. This is us. This is everyday.

He builds trust. He shows honor. He keeps me safe. He keeps us safe. He lifts and holds this family on his very broad shoulders. I look at him and I can see a bent and white-haired me in his eyes. He is who I was made to be with. He is my today, he is my future, he is my eternity.







Who he is calls to me. It is not just that I hear him, it is that his voice resonates deep in my soul. When he speaks, I soften and open to him. It is not just that he touches me, it is that his touch fills me with joy. It is not just that I offer him my deference, it is that I am fulfilled in bending under his hand and under his will.






I have lived my life, not enough for anyone, not the woman who bore me, not the father who sired me, not the half-brother who had the privilege of growing knowing his own worth, not the three with whom I shared my life before I met my Ward. I have stood strong and cold because I had to. I built walls that kept the hurt outside. I was strong. I was capable. I was dying inside. Then my Ward spoke in the dark. He spoke to me. His voice resonated. He gently uncurled my fingers, and took my hand. He showed me beauty I denied, suppressed because I could not bear it's rejection another time. He patiently took one brick at a time until I was exposed to his eyes. He pronounced me beautiful. He pronounced me loved.....and then he began to show me, every single day. He unlocked the secret places, and oh, how I shined for him.

He sees what no one else has seen. He accepts what no one else has ever invited. He accepts my service and calls it a gift. I am bound to him in ways I have always desired and never before realized. And in the binding he sets me free. There is nothing I would not give him. I prostrate myself before him and he lifts me up. I belong to him...completely...lucky girl.

HIS POV:      

June's love for me shine's brighter than the stars.  I gave her my heart, when I was most afraid and in kind her response was beyond expectation, beyond what I deserve, it was like a cold glass of water after being lost in the desert.  Her submission called to me when we were little more than friends, and in kind my dominance sought her out and made itself familiar to her. She knows my dreams, my fears, my shortcomings and what I struggle with... and yet, she still loves me anyway.... I am blessed beyond measure and I thank the Lord that he sent June my way... She is my greatest blessing!

Commitment

                                                                  
                                                  
                                               

I want to talk about commitment.  It's a word that I fear that some would take too lightly.  Real commitment whether that is to a task, a job, or to others speaks volumes about one's character and leaves an impression that will not easily be forgotten. Commitment is also easier said than given, especially in a world that increasingly caters to the "easy" or  "instant gratification" crowd. Commitment tests our patience, our willingness to set aside our own ego, our own desires and reveals the true measure and depth of a person's character.  Some ten years or so ago, when I was a much younger man, I  put my hand on God's word and I took an oath... I made a big commitment at a time when perhaps I didn't understand what real commitment was about.

                                                                               

                                                                                                                  

Oh aye, the military definitely influenced the way I speak, the way I think, the way I behave (even now).  Suddenly a young man apart, far away from everything and everyone he ever knew was  thrust into a new and more expectant world that demanded results and expected performance.  Commitment meant not only following orders, and drastically altering my appearance, or getting up at 0-dark hundred, which occurs half an hour before 0-dark thirty.  It was a new lifestyle, a new role and a new ideology.

Then came stress... I can't and in some cases won't go into specifics, but suffice to say that I've been through some things that made me doubt my place in my life, my relationships prior to June, everything. Some time ago I had the fortune to be introduced to and learn so much from a very good friend, whose influence inspired my own personal take on DD/TTWD and the wisdom and growth that individuals and couples can experience. 

                                                                                                          

                                                   

With June, I have been committed from the beginning. Committed to my job as her Husband, her protector, her leader, her lover, her best friend. Being committed on these particular terms is a labor of love and a true conduit for the reciprocity that we present to each other daily. Even when it isn't easy or fun or one of us isn't at our best showing, and displaying the grace and direction of dedication, commitment inspires and causes us to appreciate each other and what we see as important to our relationship and to each other. Sometimes being committed means taking time to connect to June or the boys when I am dead tired or looking forward to something else... but if a HoH isn't dedicated to his family and their needs, what's the point?  I realize that sometimes being a good HoH for my darling and being a good example for our boys means showing them that commitment means

                                                

                                                                   

                                                    

- Being a provider

- Completing the tasks that you have been given, even and especially when we find them distasteful or difficult

- That when you start something, you finish it

-  A real man and a real woman don't fold up like a two-dollar lawn chair when things don't go their way or real life sneaks up on them

- Doing a job that you don't enjoy, is difficult or exhausting to provide your family with their needs and some of the stuff they want, is indeed honorable.

I also have to be a steady and sure example for June and more than just tell her, show her the kind of committed solidarity that neither of us had before each other... I show her by

- Listening
- Giving her my full and undivided attention
- Following through with what I say
- Granting her access to my mind and body even when I ache
- Doing my best for us and each other every single day.

Commitment and DD/TTWD go hand in hand and it is easy to see how any kind of relationship benefits and grows with the careful and thoughtful application of  consistency and commitment. When you are tired, when you are achy, when you just want a moment to yourself, take a second and think. Show your partner your best, even when they are at their worst... Commitment makes us and our stronger for the effort!




                                                 

Her POV:

I have long been dismayed by our disposable society. When things become  inconvenient we give them away, children, pets, the ill, the elderly. We shouldn't have to try harder, evaluate ourselves, extend ourselves, find a way through.This society teaches us to find our way around, to find our way out.

I have always poured all that I had into every relationship, from the very first. Beaten and broken I was offered a way out of the womb donor's house, and replied that I could not, she needed me. Relationship after relationship would find me unhappy, talking to my partner, not getting what I needed and resolving I would double my efforts, be more, do more, love harder.... had to be me, right? Partners out of work, me working four jobs seven days a week, working 16 - sometimes 20 hours a day to get us through. Them, bored, you're always working, you never have time, going out with friends, friends become lovers.When did any of that become okay? When did it become  okay to walkaway from your children because the new girlfriend is much more fascinating? Or stop having them over because the girlfriend treats them poorly.

I'm not perfect, never have been, never will be, never claimed to be, not even close. When I give you my word I will pour my blood, sweat and honest intent into upholding my commitment. When did commitment become an option? When I pledged to love and protect my children, I meant ... mean still, that I will protect them with my life. When I pledged myself and my love to Ward, I meant and reaffirm every day, in every single thought, word, and deed... that I will give him my all, my purest, fiercest, undying, ever-growing love, my deference, my obeisance, my support, my fullest effort, my devotion, the full measure of perfectly imperfect me ...when the sun is shining, when it's warm, when it's easy, and even when I'm tired, even when I am bone weary, even when my heart and mind, and body and soul ache.

This time around, though, it is returned, and that is warm, and comforting ... even on the hardest of days....it gives me strength... it elevates me and makes me better.

Once again, my love, I commit myself to you and to our family. I commit my heart, my mind, my body, my soul, my love and devotion, my obedience, my submission to you. It honors me that you accept. I love you.

Hungry for Each Other

                                                                

                                           

                                      

I've said it before and I'll say it again... One of the most important things a couple can do is make time for each other.  Life is busy and difficult enough as it is, but once we step past the threshold of our homes, life doesn't stop.  I'm tired often, sometimes very tired, but I know that I still have expectations to meet as the HoH of this family.  I make an effort to meet the challenges and needs of my family.  The boys have homework that needs to be done,  and as much as I love the boys, I'm going to be very honest... they are a load, June needs some time for herself.. As much as I'd love to go grab a beer and sit down to Sports Center, I know that it benefits our relationship when I ensure that she gets some time to reset, relax and do some things she wants to do, but it's more than that too.  Meeting the challenges of a TTWD/DD relationship has many benefits and when we meet these challenges it keeps us hungry for each other. 

To me, being hungry means craving her in all ways.  I crave the sharpness of her mind (June is a smart cookie). She'll say she is just herself but she is much more creative and intelligent than she gives herself credit for. Her intelligence and her opinions often mirror my own and  I find the sharpness of her mind alluring. I crave her body,  She brings me much comfort and delight at the end of long days. Her warm, waiting embrace and pleasurable form bring me much pleasure and delight. I crave her spirit. Her warmth and her kindness inspire me often... I know I may be biased folks, but in truth June is the finest woman that I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Her dedication and vigilance to what we have and how we can learn from our mistakes and the wisdom of folks here touches me and make me want her close to me.

                                                                                                  

                                                       

 I'm pretty sure that not many of you would be surprised if I told you that I am a bit of a romantic. I think it's important to be available to one's partner mentally and physically.  Sometimes it's as simple as her saying "Honey I've had a hard day and I need to relieve some stress" or sometimes it's the fact that she knows me well enough to see what I need... Sometimes she crawls over my knee, sometimes she knows that what I need is much simpler, she knows her man's desire and just how to best satisfy it.

                                                          

 Staying hungry for each other is important part of  TTWD/DD or really any relationship.  The effort and time that both partners put into truly giving each other their best, becomes a vital skill that pays dividends in both the long and short term. 

-  A deeper attentiveness
-  A deeper appreciation for the things we do for each other
-  An insanely high libido increase
-  A warmth that  spreads throughout our home
-  A understanding of each other that is deeper for each other
-  A deep desire to only improve, even through setbacks or disagreements, a true hunger for each other.


                                                  



Finding time or making time for each other remains a priority, even with the kids, school, work and making ends meet, we continue to find ways to show each other how important we are.  We highly recommend exploring your options and finding ways to show each other how you feel and what emotions and passion that you evoke in each other.  Send the kids to grandma's, Check out that Bed and Breakfast, plan a romantic weekend away. The time we give our partners is precious. Give each other your best!

                                                      

Her POV:

Ward is a very effective leader, both in his work life and his home life. He is caring, compassionate, intuitive, firm and consistent. When he shares the things he does, it is not someone just hypothesizing, he shares what works for us because he walks his talk. This is a most amazing thing for me... I've never had anyone who did that before.This is intimacy...intimacy is not a quick tumble in the blankets, intimacy begins in the mind and in the heart.

Which brings to mind another thought...and old thought....one of June's favorite thoughts....redundant much?  Reciprocity! (Oh, stop that groaning!) I have said over the last few posts, that I enjoy serving Ward, and I enjoy doing things for him with a full, loving and submissive heart. It can make the simplest of acts an act of love and submission.It can make the larger acts of submission a prayer.

Where is the reciprocity? He serves me as well. When he sees me take a deep breath and close my eyes because I have listened to my 7,463rd whine of the day, and he steps in and handles it, or takes the task from my hand and tells me to go take a break, or he tells me to sit so he can do the dishes, or pulls the laundry basket between us and starts folding, or senses my sense of agitation and takes my hand and leads me to our room and closes the door and pulls me across his lap....when he texts me an instruction because he knows I revel in his Dominance, he is taking the time to show that he knows- feels- sees- acknowledges and cares about all the things that affect me. He is quick to kiss a - but you had a hard day, too - protest straight off my lips (YUMMY), pat me on the butt and send me off so that I can be my best for him and for us. 

Am I hungry for him? All the bloody time. I long for the curve of his jaw, his stubble, his scent, his touch, his laugh, his voice, his humor, his patience in the hours he is absent. I crave it. My heart squeezes when he sighs and rolls out of the bed for work, and it never really stops till he walks back in the door. He is my first thought in the morning, my last thought at night, he fills my dreams, he fills my heart. And what we create...it feeds him, it feeds me, it feeds our children and shows them that life can be extraordinary.

The Value of Good Girl Spankings (An HoH's Perspective)

                                                                                                                

                                                            

 June has done several posts on the pleasurable  and connective experience that a good girl spanking can bring to a DD/TTWD relationship. I think it's high time that I weighed in on this and several other subjects.  A good girl spanking  is a spanking that is designed to bring a couple closer through the use of pleasure, touch, intimacy, and good old-fashioned dominance and submission to bring said couple to a state of pleasure, unity, and release. This reaffirms the bond  and clearly defines roles.  and oh yeah.... it's fun!

I also believe that for the newly initiated  HoH  these spankings can provide a wonderful and pressure-free opportunity to explore, embrace and enhance their new found roll in a "safe"  stress-less, and delightfully sensual way.

                                             

                                       

One of the beautiful things about what June and I share is our shared delight in many pleasurable things.  A good foot-rub, a long soak in the tub (sadly, I'm really too tall for this one, too long) and of course spending  much quality "us time" behind  closed bedroom doors as we can.  This perhaps seems obvious, but let us see if we can take a look at some of the valuable things that an evening of fun-centric spanking has.
                                       

                                                        

Time - Time is gold, there is never enough of it. From dawn until dusk many of us have hyper-busy, super packed schedules that make us feel like a hot shower is a luxury.  You've all heard me extol the virtues of making time for the ones we love. I'll go one step further and say that sometimes sacrificing what little 'you time' you have in favor of time spent improving your relationship can be seen as a precious gift.  I'm known and renowned amongst my guy friends, for passing up that beer after work in favor of precious time spent with June. Time is the one thing that we will never really have enough of, and the gift of time in favor of your love and relationship over other pursuits is always precious.

                                                     

Discipline - Gasp! somebody said the dreaded d-word!  Discipline and correction are two different things, and in fact even in the most exquisite, alluring, toe-curling instances of soft and pleasure-focused spanking, roles can be affirmed, lessons can be learned and the chance to both give and receive physical expressions of love, dominance and submission  is truly wonderful.

                                                                                             

                                                                                           

 

Pleasure - It goes without saying that a good girl spanking should be a pleasurable experience. Soft touches, the warm embrace of skin against skin, the warmth of leather, the sternness of sensation can all lead to a warm and pleasurable cocktail of unified delight, stress relief and generous love-making.

  

                                                      

 

A New Strength - Finding the delight in each other, being thankful for what we have and where we are now  and guarding our relationships against the dents and dings that everyday life throws at us is a wonderful strength that we have found. Stress, disagreements, bills, kids,  work, schedule-conflicts can all lead to distraction, misdirection, hurt-feelings, angry words, fighting and the other kind of spanking.... GG's are better folks, and finding that strength, that strength to say yes when we don't really understand, that strength that says I love you instead of "I'm right" that strength begins with closeness and togetherness, two things that GG type spankings provide and are conducive to.

                                                                                             

These things and many more lay waiting just beyond the thoughts of our partners, take time, make time to listen, make time to talk. Express your love, your submission or  your dominance.   Improving our relationships is often as simple as communicating and you know the beautiful thing  about communication is that sometimes the strongest messages are best sent without words.

                                            

                                                      

                           

Her POV: 

Daddy speaks of time, and I will tell you that he is a man of his word, that he walks the talk, he is not empty rhetoric. He proves his philosophy, his personal credo time after time, day after day. The first time it happened, I was astounded. I sat beside him and blinked. Daddy is an absolute football fanatic. There was a game on that he wanted to see. Something happened...now, I can't tell you what was going on, I can't remember what was said, but this I remember...I stuffed something down, because I knew he had waited to see that game, and it could wait really. And he saw it, felt it. He picked up the remote, turned off that TV, and took my hand, pulled me down next to him. I said, "It's okay, Daddy, it can wait. You've been waiting for the game." He kissed me, kissed my hand and said, "It's not more important than you, lovey."

That's the building we can do, simple little acts. No, I can't remember what precipitated the moment, that's not really important, the bigger matter was that my man communicated in a clear, concrete way that I mean something to him, that my concerns are important, and what I think and feel matters. It is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. And yeah, he got plenty lucky after....REALLY lucky ;-P

Discipline - should discipline make it's way into a gg, spanking? Well, that's part of our dynamic, and when we reinforce the foundations of our lives, we make them stronger, and easier to live...second nature. Daddy can get quite vigorous with the application of the brush in a gg...yes it hurts. But this is what I give to him, my submission to his authority, my acknowledgement that he is free to give me what he chooses to give me....[luckily for me, he chooses to give me his best]. It's not so much a reminder of what can happen if I break our rules, if I am not my best self, it is both of us acknowledging our places and that all things, my pleasure and my pain, belong to him, and his acceptance of them. It is the acknowledgement that I can trust him to uphold us, and to never harm me.

Pleasure, well as we stated above, my pleasure comes from him, his comes from me, and it belongs to us. It is not merely a physical pleasure, it goes far beyond that...it is spiritual, it is all encompassing, it is pleasure in existence within each other....without that the physical would be nothing more than an entertaining little rut.

Yes, all of these things make us stronger, make us turn to each other, helps us focus on each other, and our relationship and our family. It makes it silly to have to argue a point, and easy to say - I understand love, I see it differently - and validate each other without minimizing either of us. And because we know that we are heard, and our views and feelings are important, and that transitory troubles cannot break the strong love in which we live.
                                  

Respect, Courage, and Learning to Lead by Listening

                                                     

  When you hear the word respect, it may inspire thoughts of  learning, reconsideration, contrition, love, discipline, courage, honor, or any of a number of other adjectives.  Respect is something that is earned, learned, honored and freely given. It should never be taken for granted or forgotten. 

  Sometimes respect isn't so simple as dominance and submission, sometimes, true, real respect is the measure of a man or woman. It can be the difference between the unspoken part of the truth,  and clearing the air. It can be the difference between little gestures that create fissures and gaps, and a full functioning partnership that effectively considers and weighs all factors without purposefully dampening or alienating the other person.

                                  

                                                                                                                                
                  
  In the light of dominance a man should learn that sometimes respect should guide his decisions, words and actions toward his wife and children. I cannot say what may be for others, but in my relationship with June, I make it a point to use and select my words with the utmost care. I know that sometimes my decisions and my words may not be easy to hear or accept, but I know that my demeanor, my attitude can influence the way conversations and expectations are received. Sometimes I know that I must do or say something that won't exactly be well received... but let's be honest nobody said that this life was easy or fair.  No, being in a DD marriage isn't for cowards or those that  are looking for the easy way out.

                                                
 Honesty is a pillar of any kind of strong relationship. Honesty's value lies in it's solidity and unyielding love and devotion.  Sometimes honesty stings and even hurts...but at least it's real. Respecting your partner enough to give them honesty in all things, even the small ones are important... having the courage to approach your partner when they are struggling and tell them the truth, even when you know that it is a sensitive issue  is easier said than done, but If you can't be honest with your partner, then how can you really be honest with yourself?  Respect, courage and honesty are all pillars of a healthy and thriving relationship... They test us all from time to time and we all become stronger due to their influence.  When we choose one we are choosing all three... Gone is the halfhearted conversation with the tv on, gone are the rolling eyes, gone is the interrupted speech and the "whatevers"  Cohesion, reciprocity, and a willingness to make things right when we mess up have granted June and I that something that cannot easily be described, it is like a warm blanket on a cold rainy day.  It is like ambrosia on the tongue, and relaxing music to the ear.

                                            

   We work at it every day... June gave me so many gifts in our relationship. She empowered me to lead. She welcomed my strength, didn't cower from my intellect, or run from my dominance.  Together we have learned and continue to learn much from each other. I know that I mess up sometimes... Sometimes being an HoH is a difficult thing. She sometimes tells me that I am harder than I need be on myself but I guess that's only because I want to do this right. I know that even when it won't be easy or fun, that I have a privilege, a responsibility and a calling to do the right thing by my family. June is also one of the strongest people I know and I know that even if it's something I don't care to hear that she loves me enough to be honest with me. Our respect for each other continues to grow and thrive in the wake of the world around us.

How many times have you been out with your partner and you noticed that vanilla couples seem so disconnected, even  when they are holding hands? How many times have you seen or heard people being rude or cruel to each other?   Maybe I'm just a fuddy-duddy but I think any man that calls himself husband or leader should never be so disrespectful to his wife or partner as to swear at her or bully her when she's trying her best... I also believe that no woman who calls herself wife or partner should ever be so self absorbed and disrespectful as to blatantly ignore his wishes, try to talk over him in conversation, or belittle and besmirch their relationship. Part of me pities these folks and would make a suggestion or two on what should happen and how communication should work, but I use these types of people as an inspiration for what I strive to never be as a husband and father. No it's not always easy, but even when it's hard, it is good, and it is real. 

                                                  

Strong leadership, love, and a dedication to treat each other right is something that any couple DD, TTWD, or otherwise can gain something so deep and pure from. These things are the foundation for a lifetime.



                                                                 


Her POV:
This is a topic that Daddy and I talk about all the time. I see things that make me shudder...you know that Ward is my Daddy...we have accounts on FetLife. A lot of the littles seem to take pride in being brats. It makes me uncomfortable. It's not who I am, it's not what I want to be, it's not what I want to give him. He deserves better than that from me. Even sometimes...one I read today... she found it hard to say - yes, Daddy - please, Daddy - thank you, Daddy. Gosh, no matter what kind of relationship you have, vanilla, D/s, M/s, D/lg....doesn't matter, those things are basic respect.

Respect implies connection, honesty, being open to your partner, not shutting them out. I've said it before, we've been out and come around the corner of an aisle and seen people fighting, snarling, voices raised, mean looks, or talking to each other with ugly words...it feels like an affront. I sink a little further into him. We live in a college town, at graduation last year, the streets were packed with people. The thing I noticed was the physical and emotional distance. No one touched, no smiles, no talking, no looking at each other, not connecting on any level. Out of all the thousands of people we saw, there was one couple holding hands, and they were so far removed from each other that their hands were at 90 degree angles to their bodies.

I am far from perfect, I got as little snappy last night, but when I realized it, I apologized, and he apologized for the statement that led me to react not so much as myself. And it turns out that he did because he was troubled by an exchange with a friend. But we had not crossed so far that we could not hear each other and communicate about the real issue and our little momentary rough patch.

I had a live in  example as to what I did not wish to be. The woman who gave birth to me had no respect for anyone. She thrived on denigrating people...every man she was ever with. It repulsed me. And I joked with my therapist on more than one occasion, I had no example of what to be...as a wife and as a mother....but I sure had very clear examples of what not to be. We are unfailingly honest with each other....if we are not, what do we have? We can let each other know that we were hurt, put off our feet, disarmed, upset...respectfully. Sometimes not in the moment, but later when we have out thoughts elucidated... we can ask to speak to our partner, and say "I was hurt/upset/didn't understand/need clarity on..." And we retain and enrich our relationship...we enforce that we can turn to each other.

He is my greatest blessing, thinking of what to write here, I am writing with tears streaming down my cheeks. I empower him to lead, and he empowers me to be who I am. He empowers me to express my heart in the soft way that feels good and natural to me. I have all my life been a step out of time. I am the Kool-Aid mom, loved the smell of fresh laundry, and flour on my face and clothing with the aroma of fresh bread permeating the air. I have had to carry my family before... alone....from the time I was about 5, thinking of how I could make peace in the house. When I was 9 and cooking, cleaning, paying the bills so it would get done, and through my first three relationships. I should be more, want more.... money,  promotions, status. I was the hamster on the wheel that drove me into the ground.
I longed for reciprocity, and I gave myself dry.

I am submissive to Ward...that is a gift because it is who I am. I only have to be exactly who I am - I can be soft. I can be vulnerable. And I am elevated, never looked down on or thought weak. To hear Ward say that I am strong amazes me. In bending to him, in surrendering the trappings of this society and the mask I was forced to assume, in yielding my will to him, I am stronger, and have a joy I have never known. I receive respect that I have never experienced before. I enjoy honesty that has been lacking all of my life. Courage? Ward is courageous, he says I am, but I don't know about that. I know that I am free from fear for the first time ever.

I don't know how much sense any of this has made. I am a jumble right now. So much emotion bubbling, so much love, so much respect for this man who lets me be, lets me feel, who love me, who lifts me up. You have worried, my love, that you are lacking, but you are more than I ever dreamed. You ARE the ideal that I cobbled from my needs, desires, hurts, hopes and dreams. You are honest, and I am completely without guile in your love. I am honored to call you my love, my heart, my man, my leader. I love you, simply, fearlessly, courageously, and with complete honesty.