3.10.2021

 

Dear sweet love of mine … I want to hold your hand at 80 and say: ‘we made it’

 

For the first time in my years of marriage, I forgot my wedding day anniversary! Usually , every year I would be the one reminding, making subtle hints to my bed mate, my soulmate, my punchbag, my life,  about our upcoming big day. But this year, very early on the morning of 1.9 while brisk walking with husband, I got a text message from my  once in a while will send me a message cousin congratulating me on my big day. My 41^st year .  And yes I have forgotten the big day ! 

 

It had been quite a nine months of 2021. With my  youngest getting the covid, constant worry on her health plus a hundred and one other issues that couldn’t be resolved due to being trapped in house . Depression, insomnia all in, the whole package. 

 

Well, no family dinner with the children this time around. Just 4 red roses and a pink one from yours truly ( 4+1 =41)  He managed to slip  out to get them  from the neighbourhood florist. So sweet and thoughtful as always. And the weather has been pretty unpredictable.. hot and dry and later wet and cold. So I kept them in a mug in the bathroom and I had to explain to him the reason for doing so. 

 

So it’s a month and 3 days since the event. The roses have dried up, all wrinkled , the colours slowly turning to brown. 

 

And our time together is becoming more precious as the days pass by. I can never thank enough to the Almighty for these extra times that He is  giving to us. 

 

No marriage is all sunshine, but two people can share one umbrella and survive the storm together. 

 

Most people don’t want to hear this, but real relationships that last involve a lot of forgiveness. I have to accept the fact that neither I  nor my partner is perfect and there will be times we will feel hurt, disappointment and upset  over a lot of things . And sometime along the journey, one will  have to figure out if one is  willing to go through the ups and downs . But having said that,  being born in  a time where if something was broken, you fixed it. … rather than throw it away. You learn to compromise. Marriage is a compromise. 

 

One thing I realised is that  when we grow old, the house we have, the cars we drove, the things we possessed won’t matter. What will matter , is that we had each other. We have survived the storms along the way, because at the end of the day he is the person I want to come home to. The person I want to tell how my day went, he is  the person I want to share my happiness, sadness, frustrations and success with.  On that note, I hope he knows and appreciate  that every time I tell you to get home safe, stay warm, have a good day, or sleep well what I am really saying is I love you and I care very much about your safety, your health.

 

To quote from my favourite country  singer Shania Twain :

You’re still the one I run to,

The one that I belong to. You’re still the one I want for life.

 

 

Oh Allah, bless us with the strength to forgive each other’s shortcomings. Oh Allah, let our marriage bring untold blessings to us individually, to our families and our children and our future generations. Allah, let our marriage be a way for us and our families to enter Jannah.

 

Aamiin Ya rabal alamiin. 

 

May the only thing that grows old in our marriage be the two of us.