On my birthday morning, I woke to the soft sunlight and birds chirping, a perfect start to what I hoped would be a special day. My husband, thoughtful as ever, handed me a small, brightly wrapped gift. Excited, I unwrapped it, only to find a bottle of shower gel inside. Though practical, it wasn’t what I had hoped for—a token of love or something that reflected his understanding of me.

We had a stable financial situation, and I had sacrificed many little things for his dreams, hoping he would remember my subtle hints, like desiring a bouquet of flowers. As I opened the bottle, a scent I detested filled the air. It was a fragrance I had made clear I didn’t like, yet he had forgotten. The disappointment weighed heavily on me.

In that moment, I couldn’t hold back my emotions. I marched to the bathroom and flushed the bottle down the toilet, feeling as though I was washing away my feelings of neglect. It wasn’t just the gift—it was about feeling seen, cherished, and understood. Birthdays should be about love and connection, and I knew I needed to share my feelings with him.