Back in the olden days when my spouse and I grew up, it was common for people to buy a car, drive it for two to four years, then trade it in for a newer model. Cars back then held much more value than they do today, and trade-ins were commonplace, as well as paying cash for the difference in price of a new car.

The thought of a trade-in applies in a way to me, personally.

For years, whenever I did something dumb and noticed that my spouse would roll his eyes, I would turn to him and say, deadpan, “Time to trade me in for a newer model?”

My spouse would smile, laugh, and say,

…”Maybe not today.”

Lately, I have been the klutz’s klutz. Last Friday, I tripped over a step at the front of a store, fell, and skinned my knee and side of my arm. Just an abrasion — nothing broken. But I tore the knee of my jeans and there was a lot of blood from the surface wounds.

Saturday, I walked into a door — right into it. And right there in front of my spouse. Small knot on my head proves that such collisions are not so much fun.

Sunday, I was walking into our back yard. I was guiding my spouse to the patio by our pond. I got him there safely, then turned around and fell off the patio and tumbled again. Fortunately, nothing damaged. I landed in a soft pile of leaves.

Monday, I was in severe pain… I won’t say where, but my spouse had to apply a treatment to relieve the painful irritation. I have absolutely no idea why that irritation happened. It made me walk like a little old man while the treatment was relieving the pain.

Last night, I got up from the couch in our basement leisure room, and promptly stubbed my toe on a table leg.

I turned to my spouse and exclaimed, “after all this klutziness and problems I have had since Friday, isn’t it time to trade me in for a newer model?”

He scowled at me and said, deadpan, “no, silly. That’s why we got married. I can’t trade you in at the drop of a hat… or in your case, at a drop of some part of your body.” Then he hugged me and said, “I’ll care for you, body parts in pieces and all, as much as you have cared for me. I think our old models are just fine for another million miles.”

Life is short: show those you love how you love them!