Love Doesn’t Fade, It Only Gets Hidden Until Something Unexpected Lights It Up! My Story

Love doesn’t fade away if it is nurtured, even if it seems to. It just remains hidden, and dazzles you at the most unexpected moments. #MyTrueStory

It all starts with a blank paper. You can carve your story if you have power in your pen and a fighting spirit. The handwriting and the ink can change with time, but the essence remains.

I met my man when I was 17 and our courtship lasted eight years before we got married. It’s been 16 years since we became a couple, and over the years our relationship has evolved – from our teens we are now in our mid 30s. From being carefree college students residing with our respective parents, we are now responsible parents who act as an umbrella for our daughter.

The text messages took a toll as well.

Message as a girlfriend, “I miss you. Hope to see you soon!”
Message as a wife, “Kab aa rahe ho office se? Aatey waqt dhaniya pudina le aana, and make sure fresh ho.” (When are you coming home from office? Get some fresh coriander and mint on the way home.)
Message as a mother, “Get diapers, L size. Last time you got XL.”

Not only the text messages, but the whole dynamics of our relationship changed over the years. Earlier there was the first anniversary, first bike ride, first cooking session together,… but soon we ran out of all firsts. Thankfully, we were very comfortable with each other, and open to this transition. We knew that  “I love you” are words better said in actions. Of course, we remembered the time we were dating, when emails would last pages, when a single “hello” on phone made our hearts beat faster.

But that was in the past. I knew it was over, but sometimes, unexpectedly, you meet the past in your present. Happened to me in early 2012.

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It was an ordinary weekday. He was running late for work and had just finished eating breakfast.

I was in dire need of change and in order to get my hand on some, I shuffled through his wallet. In the act of doing so, I accidentally dropped something tiny, which fell down and rolled under the fridge.

He immediately made a great effort to get it out of a difficult spot beneath the heavy machinery. I finally managed to catch a glimpse of it but before I could ask him about it, he rushed out, to go to work.

Later that day when I sneaked through his wallet, I found this.

I remembered it! I knew where it was from, and asked him to explain.

“Tumhe yaad hia 2002 mein (Do you remember in 2002) when we were in B.Com 2nd year, you used to make that sky high ponytail and used to think that you look very pretty?” Of course he had to pull my leg.

“Carry on.”

“Well. This baby elephant was attached to one of your rubber bands and one particular day when it broke, this black beauty dropped on the floor. I picked it up then without you noticing it.”

 With misty eyes, I asked “So for the past 10 years you are carrying this in your wallet?”

“Yeah”, He responded, and just when I was about to hug him, he said,

“Ab issi baat pe chai lekar aao achi si, cheeni kam and patti zyada, saath mein pakodey laogi toh main mana nahi karunga.” (Now to celebrate that, let’s have some strong tea with less sugar, and some pakodas with it!)

It’s been six years since, and he still has it in his wallet. I had thought we had lost our childhood romance somewhere, never realizing that a part of it is still lives in his wallet. Like I said, romance doesn’t fade away, it just changes its shape, gets into a new mould.

They say, “Lucky are those who find true love at the right time.” I say, “Lucky are those who understand true love even at a daunting time.”

I fell in love with the most unexpected man at an unexpected time, and what he does for me is unexpected by me. I guess that makes us who we are – expect the unexpected.

Published here first.

Image source: Flickr, for representational purposes only

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