Marie replied, "I'm not sure but I could see the sadness in her face. And he's been short-tempered. They hardly talk to one another when they're with us and they make more eye contact with us than with each other. "
"I never noticed, " Mark declared. "They never said anything. "
"That's true, " said Marie, "but they didn't have to say anything in order for me to pick up on the clues. I notice when someone gets teary-eyed or abruptly changes the subject or has a nervous laugh. I'm frequently not even aware that I'm picking up on these things, but my brain does it regardless. "
In contrast, Mark is a much more concrete person. He gets his facts from what people tell him or what he reads. He doesn't Ôget' this intuitive stuff and considers Marie's abilities almost mystical.
Often when one doesn't Ôget' another's intuitive gift, there's a tendency to put it down. Quips like: "She thinks she knows it all, " or "She's always analyzing people, " are not uncommon. Mark's take on his wife's intuition, however, is quite the reverse. He's proud of her, and admires what he calls her "sixth sense. "
"What I particularly admire about Marie is that she uses her intuition respectfully. Not the way my mother did. When I was a kid, she'd taunt me with Ômothers know everything.' Damn, if she wasn't right; she did seem to know everything. But I hated her for it. I felt spied on. It felt creepy Ñ like she knew what I was thinking and feeling before I did. "
Marie is intelligent as well as intuitive. Her philosophy: "When I have the urge to give unsolicited advice, I remember a sign I once saw under a mounted fish: ÔIf I had kept my mouth shut, I wouldn't be here.' "
Marie is also careful not to interfere in other people's business unless they're ready to share with her. She feels it would be intrusive, like showing up on a friend's doorstep uninvited. So she's made it a point that unless invited, she won't jump in and tell people what her intuition is telling her. Rather, she uses her intuition to know herself better, which, she claims, is the most difficult task there is.
No wonder Mark's proud of Marie. His wife is not only intuitive but also intelligent.
Copyright 2009
Linda Sapadin, Ph.D. is a psychologist and success coach in private practice who specializes in helping people enrich their lives, enhance their relationships and overcome self-defeating patterns of behavior. For more information about her work, contact her at lsapadin@drsapadin.com or visit her website at http://www.psychwisdom.com/.
