With Love, Hubby

It’s been about a week since everyone lost their minds in regards to the Peloton commercial. I was waiting for the dust to settle before I analyzed the whole debacle regarding a husband gifting his wife an exercise bike that costs over $2000.

From a health practitioner’s point of view, I think it was a great gesture as it says, “I love you, therefore, I want you to be healthy.”

Health is wealth so the husband would definitely receive kudos in my book. However, the public at large believes he is being critical suggesting his already fit wife needs to become more svelte.

In their minds, this kind of thinking suggests male chauvinism and men’s  gifted ability to make women feel as if they are never enough no matter how beautiful, talented and fit they are.

As the debates escalated, my femininity decided to tackle the matter seriously. Here is how I really feel when not thinking from a health point of view. If it were me and my husband bought me a Peloton bike I would hope for his sake he had some jewels dangling from the handlebars.

Why? Because in the land of gift-giving etiquette when your husband or partner starts giving you gifts like kitchen appliances, electronics and exercise bikes it kinda means he is not in love with you.

He may love you, but not the kind of love that spells adoration and attraction. Then again, the other side of me thinks, well he could be dropping a hint that I am not at the top of my game and could use some tweaking.

In which case, it would be disconcerting, but also gratifying. I would feel like I am being given a chance to be all I can be. But, if I let the bitchy wife or girlfriend side of me out, I am going to be like, “Who died and made you Jack Lalanne?”

I will feel deep down that he is really thinking, “If you don’t get your flabby arse in shape I am going to leave you for trophy wife Barbie.” In my eureka moment I decide “Game on.”

If a woman feels like she has been slighted it is only natural for her to serve her partner up the same level of “caring” he is showing to her.  I will then figure out and highlight the areas he is deficient in and give him  gift certificates to remedy his issues.

Nowadays they have coaches and trainers for everything so he will get to see how it feels when the favor is returned. If on the off chance he had good intentions and it was purely innocent, no harm no foul.

If he was being a complete knob rot and jerk then he is in for the ride of his life and not in a good way. When men select certain gifts usually they do so with selfish agendas.

An exercise bike is actually the gift that keeps on giving but not when it is given with indifference and the suggestion that the person is flawed and needs fixing. It’s all about making it more palatable for the recipient.

In other words, it is not what you gift but how you gift it. Then again, after a woman simmers down and really thinks about the spirit of the holidays, she realizes it is the thought that counts.

She then thinks, “He could have not given any present at all  or I could be like my friend Henrietta husband-less.”

In the grand scheme of things, he gets points for being thoughtful but then you realize that you may have to be more forthright with clues for future presents.

Gift-giving is one of the areas that shows the differences between men and women with a neon sign. If a man gets gadgets for presents he is usually happy. A woman, on the other hand, likes thoughtful gifts that exude luxury and pampering.

In her mind, she feels her partner should know her better than anyone else and would be intuitive enough to gift her with items she would not treat herself to on a regular basis.

The truth is, in reality, men are not psychics and sometimes our wants and needs as women change from moment to moment thus making it quite the task to figure us out.