More than Words - Inspiration Behind the Story

My husband and I are alike in a lot of ways but in one particular way we are very different... in our choice of cards for each other. I usually choose mine from my local bookshop or arty card shop. They will be quite minimal, often with no words inside and definitely none on the front. I take care when choosing them and the result, I hope, is simple and tasteful.

My husband also takes care when choosing cards for me: birthday, Christmas, Valentines and especially on our anniversary. He reads the words on the front and makes sure that they have the word 'wife' on somewhere and if a heart, fluffy kitten, puppy or flowers can feature as well, then all the better. Then comes the inside - if there isn't some sort of sentimental rhyme inside, then my husband will discard it as unsuitable. An example of some of the cards I have received over the years are shown in the photo.

Now, I don't want anyone to take my post the wrong way because much as I might not chose a card like this myself, I would be devastated if my husband decided to stop giving them to me. I read the rhyme inside, knowing that he has read many more and chosen this one in particular because it is meaningful. I would miss everything about them: the word 'wife', the special messages... even the puppies and fluffy kittens!

This lead me to think about what it would be like if a husband like mine overheard his wife telling her friend that she thought the cards were tacky and would rather one from the art shop. What it he stopped giving them to her and chose a plain one with no rhyme inside? I thought about how I would feel and More than Words my story in The People's Friend was born. The illustration is by Ruth Blair.

The strange thing is, the title for the story was changed but the one they chose, More than Words, was the song that we chose to play at the end of our wedding as we signed the register... now that is spooky.

So, if you're reading this, husband, I expect an especially pink, fluffy card with 'wife' on the front and a slushy rhyme inside on our anniversary in May - or there'll be trouble!