Men panic, women think
By Joe Rector
We all know the book “Men Are from Mars and Women Are from Venus.” Without reading the book, any man who’s been married for a few years can vouch for that. Some of the more heated arguments Amy and I have experienced were because neither of us understood what the other was saying. Men, for sure, aren’t always wrong, and women aren’t always right.
Another time when the sexes are different is when a crisis arises. We men have our own set of terrible occurrences. When they happen, we panic. One is when the cable goes out and a big game is on. Just the other evening, the power failed, and I almost had a conniption because UT was playing. I growled like a wounded bear and fumed at the poor weather causing the problem in the first place. KUB played the hero by acting quickly and fixing things so that I didn’t miss the second half.
Driving is another time when men are apt to panic. An accident that backs up traffic for miles automatically sends me into a sweating overload of emotions. I worry about having enough gas; I fear that the need for a bathroom will come without an exit for miles. Cars cutting line add a gallon of anger to the panic. By the time I reach my destination, exhaustion has set in.
A child injury is the worst of all panic situations. Dads hyperventilate as they try to think of what to do. If blood is part of that injury, a man’s panic skyrockets. My son Dallas hit his head after falling on the edge of a chair at daycare when he was about three. I arrived to find him with a gash on his forehead. At the emergency room, I sat in a chair as the doctor cleaned the wound and began stitching it. A nurse asked me if I was okay; I wasn’t. Attention turned to me from my hurt son. They brought me a Coke and told me to breathe slowly. My panic and squeamishness embarrassed me.
Women rarely panic. Instead, they think. When the power failed, Amy made sure that she contacted the power company. She wanted to watch the game as well, but she spent no time fretting over something over which she had no control. Amy grabbed her book, found a space with sufficient light, and sat down until the problem was fixed.
Most women have little trouble driving. They go along with things as they come. My dear wife drives too slowly, but never is she bothered by traffic tie-ups or impolite motorists. She reasons that she can only control her car. She says that becoming angry is a waste of energy and time. She also explains that people who drive so dangerously should get in front of her and hurry home.
No man can match a woman when a child is hurt. First of all, little ones want their moms when they have accidents. Mothers fix things by taking logical steps and keeping cool heads. They know whether a child has an “ouchy” or a serious injury. The entire time the little one is being attended to by doctors and staff, a mom acts as if it is all a part of daily life and that things will turn out fine. Inside, she might be about to collapse, but outside she is the picture of calmness. She’s in charge.
I’ve spent bunches of years learning Amy’s differences and am thankful they exist. I watched her with my children and know the good people that they are now came from her teachings. Yes, some men think, and some women panic, but for the most part, we are wired certain ways that only God can explain. I’m just glad one thinker is in our household.t
