A Journey Through Love and Loss

Today marks our 42^nd wedding anniversary. Last night, I meticulously planned the day’s activities. We were to visit the temple early in the morning to offer our thanks to the divine once again.

As I prepared for my morning walk, I thought about visiting the nearby temple. Otherwise, even God might think I’ve forgotten to visit.

It’s true; on special occasions, I always visit the Kalighat in Kolkata to seek the blessings of Mother Kali. However, for the past two years, I haven’t been to Kolkata, so I haven’t been able to visit her.

Today, I planned to visit a nearby temple. I looked at my wife, and she said, “The kids are still sleeping at home. How can we leave them alone? You go ahead and visit the temple and bring some sweets. I’ll do the worship at home and offer the sweets to God.

Life is short. Don’t miss a day.

So, I combined my morning walk with a visit to the temple. When I returned home, my younger son called over the phone, “Dad, happy anniversary!”

I replied, “Thank you, dear.”

He asked, “How are you celebrating today? I miss all of you a lot since I’m far away.”

I said, “I miss you too.”

“Tell me, how are you celebrating your anniversary?” he asked again.

“Yes, We have a plan for today. I’ll go to a hotel with all the family members and my lovely granddaughter for dinner. In the evening, we’ll cut a cake. Our neighbors will also join us in the celebration.”

It is remarkable how long we have tolerated each other.

“That’s fine, but what are you gifting mom? We both always complain that you don’t give Mom a gift on such occasions.”

“I did give her a gift once before you were born. I gave her a necklace. Women love jewelry. Even today, she expresses happiness whenever she wears it.”

“But what are you giving her today?” my son asked again.

Listening to him, I got lost in the memories of the past 42 years spent with my wife. I remembered every moment of our life together. Along with this, an incident came to mind that I can never forget.

Our wedding anniversary was approaching, and I was planning what to give my wife this time.

This was a special time for us because we were eagerly anticipating the arrival of a new family member. We were overjoyed and getting everything ready. Normally, we would have had family members around to help with everything, so we wouldn’t have to worry about the delivery.

But since we were far from home in this foreign land (Rajasthan), no elders could come. However, our neighbor, Thakur Sahib (a Rajasthani family), was very supportive, especially the elderly couple who treated us like their own children.

“That fateful dark night.”

Everything was going well until suddenly an incident happened. I was in Udaipur for a bank meeting. The meeting ended at 8 PM and, since we had a Jeep, I immediately started for home, thinking I would enjoy dinner there. It was a three to four-hour journey, and I experienced continuous rain.

Despite the storm, I reached home around midnight but found the house locked. Panic set in as I realized that only my wife and our 5-year-old son were at home. It was late, and I didn’t know whom to approach for information about them.

Many bad thoughts crossed my mind. Just then, hearing the sound of my jeep, the door of Thakur Sahib’s house opened. He saw me and said softly, “There is no need to worry. Your son is with me, and he is sleeping right now.”

“But where is my wife?” I asked anxiously.

He then informed me that she had been admitted to Mahavir Hospital and was now in stable condition. Mahavir Hospital was 2 kilometers away, so without asking anything else, I got back into the jeep and headed to the hospital. I still couldn’t understand why my wife was hospitalized.

Those were the days of having no mobile phones, so such news didn’t arrive in time. I reached there in 15 minutes and met the doctor. She told me that my wife had a miscarriage and the little one we were expecting was no more.

But the good thing was that I was not alone there; even at that mid-night, all the staff from our branch were present and had completed all the formalities related to my wife’s operation in my absence.

A few days later, my wife recovered and came home. But whenever our wedding anniversary comes around, that incident comes back to me vividly. The loss of our unborn child left a permanent mark on our hearts, a reminder of the fragility of life and the strength of our love.

As I reflect on our 42 years together, I realize how much we have been through. We have faced joy, sorrow, challenges, and triumphs, but always standing by each other’s side. Our love has grown stronger with each passing year, shaped by the experiences we’ve shared.

Today, as we celebrate our anniversary, I am reminded of the resilience of our bond. Despite the dark nights and the painful memories, our love has endured and flourished. My wife has been my pillar of strength, and my partner in every sense, and I am grateful for every moment we have spent together.

Happy anniversary, my love. Here’s to many more years of togetherness, love, and cherished memories.

BE HAPPY….BE ACTIVE….BE FOCUSED….BE ALIVE…

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Categories: infotainment

Tags: #Anniversary, #Celebration., #Family, #happiness, #Life, #Life is Beautiful, #Love, #Marriage Anniversary, #wellness, marriage