What is love

A couple had to cross a long rope bridge to reach their safe shelter in a stormy weather. Since the rope bridge was dilapidated and was on a high altitude above a river with water flowing in high speed, it was a perilous task. The husband stepped on the bridge and started walking fast but cautiously, while the wife was still reluctant to step on it. As she saw the view below her feet, she was petrified and called her husband for help- "Honey could you please stop and cross the bridge with me? I am too scared to walk on this on my own." The husband turned back suddenly and therefore stumbled. With an angry tone he denied her saying- "Stop talking and keep walking! We need to cross it as soon as possible, can't you see the storm getting stronger?" 

But while the storm was strengthening, something inside her was getting hurt and weaker. She never expected him to treat her this way. She recalled the moment of their wedding, two years ago when he vowed to take care of her and stay by her side in sickness and health. However she stepped on the bridge and started walking, trembling with fear and sighing with disappointment. She hardly approached the middle of the bridge when it shook, very badly! Her husband had most probably reached the other end and hence was not visible to her. She gripped the ropes tight and prevented herself from falling off, yelping for her husband's help. "Honey are you there? Please come back to me, I cannot cross this on my own! This bridge is shaking. I need you!" His voice relieved her that he did not fall off or go away, but what followed unrelieved her even more- "What is wrong with you! Can't you do just one thing on your own? Do you want both of us to be alive or not? Just keep walking and cross the damn bridge!"

Of all the fears in the world, the fear of having taken the wrong decision is the most dangerous, because it is born from the past, attacks the present and destroys the future.. The wife was afraid, but now more than the storm and the deadly descend, she was afraid she took the wrong decision! The decision of fighting her parents for this man, the decision of loving him unconditionally in spite of their differences, the decision of forgiving him for his previous mistakes, the decision of marrying him when no one thought it would work! "Mom and Dad were right! I hurt them so much, went against them, insulted them for this! This is love?" For a moment she was so angry on herself, she thought of giving up. She thought of leaving him the moment she returns home. She thought of jumping off the bridge and making him suffer in loneliness and guilt for his whole life, which would perhaps teach him what is love. But soon she realised that being selfish and a coward will not make her any better than her husband. So she started moving further, this time confidently and carelessly. With anger and disappointment she kept asking herself what is love, and soon she found her answer when she reached the end of the bridge and there he was, her husband, holding a loose end of rope tightly with his hands, pressing his feet against a rock, keeping the bridge from falling! That is Love!

Love is a term undertook by many, but understood by few!

Love is not spending every moment with each other, love is living every moment for each other. Love is not necessarily giving the best present to your child on his birthday, love can also be saving on the present to secure the future! Love is not necessarily going on romantic dates every other day, love can also be struggling, being busy working or studying or practicing to make life even more big, comfortable and romantic! Love is not necessarily holding hands and walking together all the time, love is sometimes holding on to the bridge while the other is walking. So the next time you feel neglected or lonely or devastated because your loved one was busy or rushing away, before you react strongly or take strong decision, think again! Isn't he/she busy holding the bridge for you? If not all, most of the times the answer will be Yes! and every time you realise it is yes, your anger will turn into gratitude, the neglect will turn into pamper and the fear of being wrong will turn into pride of being right. 

Having said that, there could have been another end to the story too. What if the wife committed suicide out of guilt and disappointment? What if she fell off the bridge because she was not walking confident and determined enough? What if she converted her thoughts into words and said out loud to her husband how much she repents for marrying him and how much she hates him (while he was holding her with all his might and all his love)? This is what actually happens in most of the conflicts. Neither of the partners is wrong, but nothing seems right, because while one thinks holding the bridge is already enough and the other should be understanding, patient and thankful, the other being clueless or ignored gets too vulnerable and frustrated to reach the end of the bridge and know the truth. As important it is to hold the bridge for your loved one, helping him/her cross it safely and assertively is even more important. Be it your partner or child or parent, if you are not able to give adequate time or attention to them due to a reason, never forget to share it, discuss it. Emotional security is also as important as securing the finances and future. 

Making a living is easy, making a life is not. Falling in love is easy, saving each other from falling is not! Neither doubt your love, nor over expect from it, neither hate it if it goes away for a while nor get irritated if it wants to stay close. Getting into an argument is easy, blaming the other for the argument is even easier, but always remember..

Love has nothing to do with how you agree on everything, Love is all about how you deal with the disagreements.