When I was about eight or nine, my mom, who loved to cook, prepared dinner for us after a particularly long and rough day at work. I’ll never forget the night she served us dinner with a plate of jam and completely burned toast for my dad. This wasn’t just slightly burned—it was entirely blackened.

As a kid, I was anxiously waiting to see if anyone would say anything about the burnt toast. But to my surprise, my dad ate his toast without a single complaint. Instead, he casually asked me about my homework and how my day had been. While I don’t recall my response, what stayed with me was hearing my mom apologize to my dad for the burnt toast. I’ll never forget his response: “Sweetie, I love burned toast.”

Later that evening, I went to say goodnight to my dad and asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He put his arm around my shoulder and said, “Your mom had a very long day at work and she was tired. Besides, a burnt piece of toast never hurt anyone, but harsh words can.”

He continued, “Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I’m not perfect—I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like anyone else. But what I’ve learned is that accepting each other’s faults and choosing to celebrate our differences is crucial for a healthy, lasting relationship. Life is too short to wake up with regrets. Love the people who treat you right and have compassion for those who don’t.”

And remember, enjoy life now 🙂

disclaimer: We did not write the above, but I do not know the author, if you know who they are please contact me so I can add credit