His Soul Mate

One evening, when I was in Dubai, I felt little home sick and decided to go for a walk. While passing thorough the Mankhool road, I saw an Old Indian couple in a coffee shop, where usually the young lovers go. They should be of their late 65's or early 70's. I could make out, they were on a vacation here. The way they behaved showed their strong and long love for each other.

From my early 20's, I admire the old couples, spending time for each other. I feel great about their sacrificing love for each other. Many a time, I felt, God still lives in many families through these couples.

I remember my train journey for my Cat exams. I couldn't forget the discussion which i had with an Old man in the train. May be, it took so long to put it into my blog, but it was there in my mind for many years and that when I saw another old couple, it came back so strongly allowing me to write it here.

I was going to Trichi - St. Joseph College, as i had my exams there. It was a Day train, time would hardly pass on. He was on his way to his daughter house in Trichi. For 1 hour, we remained silent. I offered him some biscuits and thus it started. He enquired my trip and i did the same. Slowly he started telling his story.

" I was married in 1971. It was an arranged marriage. I hadn't seen her before the event. There wasn't an occasion called engagement in our times. She was 21 and i was 33. I didn't want it that time as I joined the Tea factory in Assam a year before.

Now - a- days, people like to be married to beautiful girls, She was also beautiful, not of a fair complexion. But shined like a moon. She had sharp features, little curly hair and was very short.

I had nothing there in Assam, not even a rented house. I never bothered to describe my situation and get her consent. I took her there. There were so many things to complain about. But she managed everything in our very little room that she made it a Heaven.

We had 4 children, 2 girls and 2 boys. We got our daughters married and our elder son too. One youngest one is working in Infosys, Bangalore. We didn't know how years passed on.

After so many years of marriage, we started having a life with little comforts. No sooner after we had a house in Chennai, my wife fell sick and admitted in the hospital. I realized we were growing old.

Until then, I was thinking that it was her responsibility to look after the house, take care of the kids, leading them to discipline and all the house hold cores. I had never interrupted or asked her if she needed help. I have just did, whatever he had asked me to do.

Only when i saw her in the bed, I recognized, what our marriage had done to her. She had lost her Shape, health and Beauty, being my wife, being a monther of our kids, being a grand mother for our grand children.

She had done so many things, which we all had taken it for granted for so many years. May be I should have given her something more , which would have made her little more comfortable.

She couldn't make it for more than a week in the hospital.God took her in peace. I had loved her all my life and i am still in love with her.

She was with us, in all our difficulties, But she did not wait to enjoy the fruit of our difficulties.

Now for 2 years, I am just wandering here and there, waiting to join her." He finished.

I remained silent. By then our stations came and I started to the ladies Hostel. In the night, my mind started imagining about them. And i said to myself.... The Old man's wife would even think of him from Heaven for his innumerable number of sacrifices, he had done for her and their family.