Find out what is important to someone and make that important to you.

Today, I was attending a conference session about employee culture, and the presenter said something that resonated with me deeply: “Find out what is important to someone and make that important to you.”

Brad and I have embraced this idea since the day we met, and we carried it out just last weekend in what was a profound-to-me way. I even noted it to him in the moment.

Friday night, we were at my best friend’s house, watching a volleyball match (Louisville vs. Texas). Their TV screen is smaller than my visually impaired husband is accustomed to. I knew he couldn’t see what was happening on the screen, but every time I looked over, he was watching the game and smiling. Seriously, just sitting there with a gentle, contented smile on his face.

In between points, Brooke, her boyfriend, and I were dissecting every play, while Brad remained mostly quiet. However, don’t confuse his silence with lack of volleyball knowledge. He can probably name more players than I can, and he even knows the difference between a 6-2 and a 5-1 offense!

The next day, we met up with a small group of his friends to go to Bourbon and Beyond for four days. I don’t particularly love live music. I don’t like loud noises, I don’t like crowds, and I don’t like spending money – the trifecta of music festivals!

I mostly lounged on my towel, listening to Brad & Company talk about key changes, harmonies, and other foreign terms.

It didn’t matter that I didn’t love the environment; seeing him enjoy his passion with people he loves brought me an immense level of joy – especially knowing he does the same for me.

Brad knows more about volleyball and gymnastics than he probably ever thought he would, and I know more about audio systems and media than I ever dreamed possible.

Earlier this summer, I even found myself at a house party thinking, “Man, these people are rich, but their audio distribution could use some work.”

It’s a beautiful exchange—giving a piece of your heart to someone else’s passion, even when you can't see the score or hear the melody.