How I Make Amends With My Wife
My wife and I rarely find ourselves on opposite sides of a disagreement, and honestly, I count that among life’s greatest gifts. But on the odd occasion when a little cloud drifts across our otherwise sunny skies, we have a sweet little rule: apologies must come with a thoughtful gesture—something we know will truly make the other smile.
Now, my wife is a phenomenal cook. So her way of saying sorry usually involves creating something utterly delicious. As for me? Let’s just say my culinary skills don’t go far beyond a passable tuna sandwich—so I’ve had to get a bit more inventive.
Here are a few of my personal favourites:
Harbour Surprise
This was one of my proudest apology moments. After a tiny bump in our otherwise smooth relationship, I sent her a text asking her to meet me at the harbour. She wasn’t exactly thrilled at the time—still a little grumpy, I’ll admit—but she came anyway. And there, waiting for her, was a surprise: tickets to a Sydney dinner cruise.
She was completely taken aback! Needless to say, she had a wonderful time, and my apology sailed through smoothly.
The Post-it Note Redemption
There are times when finding the right words feels impossible, especially when you’re stuck in that “I really messed up” mindset. So, I took the simple route: Post-it notes. I grabbed a stack of neon ones and scribbled down 20 reasons why I love her. Some were obvious (“Your cooking is amazing”), others more heartfelt (“You make everything feel like home”), and I placed them all around the house like a heartfelt scavenger hunt.
The final note was stuck to the fridge door, with a doodled heart and a bashful, “Sorry I was a dork.”
Origami Flower Bouquet
This one was definitely a labour of love—and involved a lot of trial and error. After a silly little argument (I may or may not have forgotten the trash again), I decided to try something hands-on. I used to be pretty good at origami, so I gave it another shot.
After a few failed folds and one paper cut, I managed to put together a bright bouquet of origami flowers. When I handed it to her—dramatically, I might add—she looked at it, then at me, and burst into laughter. That bouquet still sits proudly on her desk.
The Compliment Storm
This one’s a regular feature, and easily the most effective. When you’re good with words, lean into them! After those minor disagreements that leave us both slightly off-kilter, I make up for it by flooding her with compliments all day long. No sarcasm, no jokes—just genuine love and appreciation.
I text her sweet things, whisper compliments when I walk by, and even sneak little notes into her shoes. By lunchtime, she’s usually blushing. By dinner, she’s forgiven me—though she often asks if I’ve bumped my head. Mission: accomplished.
Disagreements happen. They’re part of life. But what I’ve learned is that fixing things isn’t about proving who’s right—it’s about bringing back the laughter, the warmth, and the smiles. After all, we’re a team. And if nothing else works, there’s always the promise of another round of cookies.
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