Are truck drivers romantic? That is what we asked
Thomas Miller when we talked with him a few days before Valentine’s Day.
He assured us, “I am a romantic truck driver,” but
gave much of the credit to his wife, Misty, and their two daughters – Mackenzie
(17) and Kylie (26) for keeping him on the right path.
Thomas must know something about romance because he
has been married more than 25 years to Misty and driving over-the-road at the
same time. He started driving three months after his oldest daughter’s birth 26
years ago. He has been driving for Prime Inc. the last 20 years.
“I have a couple of well-rounded kids,” he says with
pride. “The oldest attended college on an academic scholarship. The second is
still in high school. They’re both good kids.”
“Excited Conversations”
“It
takes an incredibly strong woman to raise two kids, essentially alone,” he
remarked about his wife, Misty. At the same time, Thomas says he believes the
secret to their strong relationship lies with “constant communication.”
Calling, texting, emailing and using FaceTime are all part of their routine.
“What
happens when the two of you disagree?” we wondered, knowing some people avoid
uncomfortable conversations or areas of conflict when they have so little time physically
together. Unfortunately, this strategy of avoidance is not usually healthy for
relationships and can create resentment and erode good feelings over time.
Thomas
assured us he and Misty sometimes do have “excited conversations.” “If things
heat up too much,” he said, “we wait until I can pull the truck over because
she doesn’t want me driving when I’m upset. Likewise, I would not interrupt her
day as a teacher to discuss a disagreement. We don’t put it off for days,
weeks, or months at a time because that’s a disaster.”
“The
number one thing is that Misty keeps me informed. Sometimes she burns up the
phone with FaceTime. Being apart can be tough on a marriage. It takes a lot of
teamwork.”
Words
of Advice to Would-Be Romantic Drivers
A lot
has changed in the last 25 years to help drivers stay more connected with those
they love. Here are some specific suggestions from Thomas Miller:
Communicate,
communicate, communicate – use every means you can to stay in touch.
When you
go home spend as much time as possible with your wife and children. Thomas
emphasizes what his wife wants most is one-on-one alone time with him, e.g.
dinner together and maybe a movie.
Do
not forget your daughters on Valentine’s Day!
Do
things you enjoy together when you are home. Thomas and Misty enjoy riding
motorcycles and love going for a ride together whenever possible.
Get
to know your partner and what makes her happy. She may not be the hearts,
flowers and chocolate kind of woman.
When
we signed off Thomas was heading off on an adventure with his 17-year-old daughter. He again emphasized the importance of giving time to people you love. “No amount of money will replace your presence with them.”
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