Ouch--I felt so outclassed (not an uncommon feeling, I admit) after reading "The Grapefruit Syndrome" by Lola Walters, a classic LDS story from The Ensign. In this story, a woman after two years of marriage has begun to develop a mental list of some minor annoyances regarding her husband. She reads an article suggesting that couples ought to have regular sessions where they discuss their grievances with one another, and she got him to agree to the idea. She begins with her list.

As I recall, we were to name five things we found annoying, and I started off. After more than 50 years, I remember only my first complaint: grapefruit. I told him that I didn’t like the way he ate grapefruit. He peeled it and ate it like an orange! Nobody else I knew ate grapefruit like that. Could a girl be expected to spend a lifetime, and even eternity, watching her husband eat grapefruit like an orange? Although I have forgotten them, I’m sure the rest of my complaints were similar.

After I finished, it was his turn to tell the things he disliked about me. Though it has been more than half a century, I still carry a mental image of my husband’s handsome young face as he gathered his brows together in a thoughtful, puzzled frown and then looked at me with his large blue-gray eyes and said, “Well, to tell the truth, I can’t think of anything I don’t like about you, Honey.”

Gasp.

I quickly turned my back, because I didn’t know how to explain the tears that had filled my eyes and were running down my face.

Wow. I just feel so outclassed by that guy, the Grapefruit Guy I call him (though I'm guessing Brother Walter might be more accurate). I'm afraid I would have become defensive or come up with my own list or some other stupid thing. What a terrific example he showed!

It will be difficult, but I'd like to be more like that. I'm not quite sure how to become that gracious and sweet, but I've got an idea on how to start. On my way home from work tonight, I'm stopping at the grocery store and buying a bag of grapefruits. Wish me luck!
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