By Akshay Yeokar
My husband is a software engineer by profession. I love him for his steady nature and I love the warm feeling when I lean against his broad shoulders. Two years of courtship and now, five years of marriage, I have to admit that I am getting tired of it.
The reasons that made me love him beforehave now transformed into the cause of all my restlessness. I am a sentimental woman and extremely sensitive when it comes to relationships and feelings. I yearn for romantic moments, like a little girl yearning for candy. My husband is just the opposite; his lack of sensitivity and inability to bring romantic moments into our marriage has left me disheartened with love.
One day, I finally decided to tell him my decision - that I wanted a divorce.
"Why?” he asked, shocked.
"I am tired. There are no reasons for everything that happens in the world!" I answered.
He kept silent the whole night, seemingly in deep thought. My feeling of disappointment only increased. Here was a man who was not even able to express his predicament. So what else could I expect from him?
And finally he asked me: "What is it that I can do to change your mind?"
Somebody said it right...It's hard to change a person's personality and I guess I have started losing faith in him. Looking deep into his eyes I slowly answered: "Here is a question. If you can answer and convince my heart, I will change my mind. Let's say, I want a flower located on the face of a mountain cliff, and we both are sure that picking the flower will cause your death. Will you do it for me?"
He said: "I will give you your answer tomorrow...."
My hopes just sank listening to his response. I woke up the next morning to find him gone and saw a piece of paper with his scratchy handwriting underneath a milk glass on the dining table near the front door that went like this....
“My dear, I would not pick that flower for you. But...please, allow me to explain the reasons further...” This first line was already breaking my heart. I continued reading.
"When you use the computer you always mess up the software programs and you cry in front of the screen. I have to save my fingers so that I can help to restore the programs. You always leave the house keys behind. Thus I have to save my legs to rush home to open the door for you. You love travelling but always lose your way in a new city. I have to save my eyes to show you the way. You always have the cramps whenever your "good friend" approaches every month. I have to save my palms so that I can calm the cramps in your tummy. You like to stay indoors. I worry that you will be infected by infantile autism. I have to save my mouth to tell you jokes and stories to cure your boredom. You always stare at the computer, and that will do nothing good for your eyes. I have to save my eyes so that when we grow old, I can help you to clip your nails and remove those annoying white hair, so that I can also hold your hand while strolling down the beach, as you enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful sand...and tell you the colour of flowers, just like the colour of the glow on your young face... Thus, my dear, unless I am sure that there is someone who loves you more than I do, I would not pick that flower, and die ...”
My tears fell on the letter and blurred the ink of his handwriting. And I continued reading...
"Now, that you have finished reading my answer, and if you are satisfied, please open the front door for I am standing outside with your favourite bread and fresh milk...I rushed to pull open the door and saw his anxious face, clutching the milk bottle and loaf of bread tightlywith his hands. Now I am very sure that no one will ever love me as much as he does, and I have decided to leave the flower alone...
That's life, and love. When one is surrounded by love, the feeling of excitement fades away and one tends to ignore the true love that lies in between the peace and dullness.
Love shows up in all forms; even in very small and cheeky forms. It has never been a model. It could be the dullest and most boring form...
Flowers and romantic moments are only used and appear on the surface of the relationship. Under all this, the pillar of true love stands...
And that's life.
PS: This is not my experience; but it truly happens. Let’s get the moral of this story. Most times we do not appreciate the people around us. They may not be good in expressing their feelings; but it doesn't mean that they don't love us. If they aren't good at expressing love, then why don't we take the first step to show some love?
