Can I have it?

When I was a kid I remember a friend of mine walking up to me and showing off his new watch. It was really nice and very brand new; two qualities I had yet to possess in a watch. As he described all of the new and exciting features, he held his arm out for me to inspect the new treasure; he quickly pulled it back when I tried to touch it. After just about all I could take of his long-winded description of the watches unbelievable functions he asked me what I thought of it. “It’s nice” I said “Can I have it?”

I was a little kid when this happened, and while I knew he would never hand over his new watch, I already understood one important principle of life. You never know what you will get until you ask! It is of utmost importance that others know what you want and where you stand. Would I have taken his new watch had he agreed to hand it over? At that age I probably would have, but that’s not the point. He understood that I liked it and he knew I wanted it. I added value to his watch.

Now don’t think for a minute that I would suggest you telling someone in Walmart that their shoes don’t match their dress, or God forbid telling your spouse “Yes, that dress actually does make you look a little…chunky”. But if you like something-say something. If you want something-ask for it. If you want your spouse to take you out to eat…take them instead! The food will tastes as good and you will have exactly the same amount of fun. Do this and I would wager that you will receive an offer to return the favor soon. It’s okay to be mysterious, but don’t be a mystery; you will miss out on more than you know!