Shannon Ethridge's Blog

by Terrica Smith

Has your husband ever grabbed another woman’s butt? Mine has, very recently in fact…

I must confess that I’m also guilty, however.  A few years ago in a quiet little store in Nashville, I continued to browse around while Josh stood in line at the register.  There was only one person in line ahead of him.  After a few minutes I joined him, absently gazing out through the front doors and windows at people passing by.  We stood quietly for a moment, and then as I often do, gently reached over and began to rub his back…up…down…up…down, a little butt grab and pat for good measure…up…  Then suddenly I notice in my peripheral vision (I was still gazing out the windows) his head turn very slowly to look at me, and then a loud amused grunt/snort, inches from my ear.  I froze.  Wait a sec, my husband doesn’t grunt/snort… I turned my head slowly to meet his gaze, my eyes widening in horror.  The man is at LEAST a hundred years old!  I glanced around frantically looking for Josh but saw him nowhere.  Backing away, fourteen shades of red, apologizing profusely, I stumbled over myself and bolted out the door.  I wanted to die.  I had just totally molested a man who was old enough to be my grandfather!  Not to mention that he was wearing boots, a western-looking shirt, and wranglers!  How the heck had I confused him with my husband?!

We all got a great laugh out of it for days and days.  My mother-in-law joked that it was probably the thrill of the old man’s life, no reason to be concerned.

But here’s the thing:  This girl, this woman that Josh recently fondled, she is not a hundred years old and wrangler-clad.  She’s young and tall and beautiful with long dark hair, very stylish, a professional currently wrapping up her master’s degree, passionately in love with Jesus, and yes people, yes…she has a fantastic backside.

A little different than my experience, wouldn’t ya say?

It was an honest mistake on his part, thinking it was me.  He apologized, I apologized, we apologized, and she just laughed it off making us all feel better.  I mostly felt bad for him because he was so completely mortified. (He embarrasses really easily.)

I could have gotten upset and insecure, made a big deal out of it, made us both feel awkward.  But I didn’t.  Not in the least.  For one, I know my husband and trust him completely.  But also, I’m happy in my own skin.  Am I thrilled with every single aspect of my body?  Oh c’mon!  Is any woman?  No.  But I am confident.  I choose to be.  I think feminine curves are breathtaking.  I celebrate them.  And because of that, his accidentally groping her lovely curves didn’t make me feel threatened.

If anything…I just took it as a compliment. 

Ladies, have you ever had a moment like this where your sexual confidence was put to the test?  Did you pass?  Did your confidence soar, or perhaps you failed miserably?  (Oh I’ve had lots of those moments, too.)  How do you think you would have reacted in this situation?