Borrow his brain

When you ask his advice, you may just get a whole bunch of side benefits that you didn't expect.

Did you ever have a decision to make?

Maybe even a small decision. Not earth shattering. No great ramifications.

Something like Gila.

A group of co-workers - Gila included - had received a gift from a grateful client.

A very nice gift.

So nice, in fact, that all the ladies started shrieking and oohing and ahh-ing.

All of them except Gila.

You see, the gift was a handbag with a very exclusive logo stuck to the outside of it.

Which everyone had heard of. And had always wanted.

Except for Gila. Who had never been much of an up-to-the-minute-style type of person. And was actually quite satisfied with her discount store run-of-the-mill functional bag, thank you very much.

Gila wondered what she should do. Should she 

• Keep the item and use it - even though it was not at all practical for her needs?

• Give it away as a gift to someone who would appreciate it?

• Sell it and use the proceeds to buy something for herself that she would enjoy?

It wasn't such an important decision. But Gila did want the issue resolved - rather than letting it gather dust in the bottom of her closet, which it was doing right now.

Gila could have just made the decision herself. Whatever she chose would be fine in the end, she knew.

She could have asked her sister. Or her friend. Or her mother. And each of them would have given good advice, and that would have been fine, too.

But Gila decided to ask her husband:

"Can I borrow your brain? I got this expensive gift that I don't need. What do you think I should do?"

Gila knew that by doing this, her husband would feel proud that she was asking him advice. And appreciative of her trust. And happy that she valued his opinion. 

Which she really did.

And when he made his suggestion, she said:

"Thanks. I knew I could count on you."