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It makes me believe in love when I read these wonderful, romantic stories of our grandparent’s generation. Unlike us, they didn’t have a lot of communication pathways. They used to communicate through those sweet and passionate letters which would take days and days to reach. But once they were received, they would be read and re-read till the time the loved one arrived home. Really, letters have so much charm to them, so much meaning imbibed.
This lovely story, shared by Humans Of Bombay, is narrated by a grandpa who is 95 and who misses his wife dearly. He recounts their days of togetherness and tells us how her laughter has given him the strength to survive. Tell me if you don’t shed a few tears!
“For a better part of my life, I used to work in the Merchant Navy. I loved my job, but like everything in life it had it’s own drawbacks — I had to stay away from my wife for extended periods of time. We had the kind of relationship where we were always making fun of each other and cracking jokes, but when I was away from her I would write her long love letters telling her how much I loved her and how much I missed hearing her laugh. Because she couldn’t send letters back to me, she would reply to each and every one of them and wait for me to come back home. Then when I was leaving again, she would hand me all of them at once to read when I was away. I used to devour her letters — reading them slowly and over and over again.
We’ve been through a lot together…we lost our daughter when she was 1 and a half years old and that’s one of the few times I’ve seen her break down — she was a strong woman. Even when she would fall sick and I was away, she wouldn’t tell me so I didn’t worry…but I would worry. I remember once when she fell ill, I rushed home and the whole way there I kept thinking that I would quit my job to be with her… I couldn’t bear the thought of not spending enough time with her.
It was when she was ill that I was joking with her and said, ‘your husband will mark a century’ and she said, ‘it better be alone, I can’t tolerate you for so long’. We both laughed, but deep down we both knew even a 100 years together would be less. I’m 95 today and she left me a few years ago…so I’m actually closing in on a 100 years without her. At first, I was shattered and didn’t want to live without her, but then I kept picturing her, and her laughter and knew that she would have liked me to remain strong. She may have left me, but I feel her presence around me still — for all you know she must be here somewhere, laughing at how emotional I’m being!”
Doesn’t this story reinstate your faith in love? In this chaotic world, such soothing stories are all what we really need.
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