In the realm of destiny, whether by good fortune or otherwise, there lived a bride. She was the eldest sister among three brothers, and fate had entrusted her upbringing mostly to her brothers. This upbringing led her childhood to be somewhat restless and incomplete. She was not taken to any ceremonies due to her brothers’ concern for her well-being. They were unaware of how dire her circumstances had become—she was even reduced to eating soil to stave off hunger. Her parents had prepared computer-generated instructions, urging her not to consume clay and to be vigilant against its allure.
In her brothers’ relentless efforts to prevent her from consuming clay, her dreams were shattered. When she reached adulthood, a proposal came her way through divine grace. The proposal was from a young man who happened to be a companion’s son from her eldest brother’s mosque.
During wedding preparations, her aunts would discreetly go “shopping” and secretly transfer her possessions to her future in-laws, following the same command: “Keep her away from soil, and never let her incline towards it.” Finally, with the grace of God, the wedding ceremonies concluded, and she stepped into her new life with gratitude in her heart. Grateful that in a matter of days, she would sleep soundly while her brothers stayed awake, vigilant.
On her wedding night, she sat timidly, resembling a frightened deer with her tresses coiled, waiting for the veil-lifting ritual to commence. Her in-laws arrived, and there were no words, just salutations. They arranged her scarf and initiated the voluntary prayers. Once the prayers ended, they began the supplications, which seemed as lengthy as if she were reciting verses to escape impending calamity: “May the misfortune turn to dust; come, blaze, burn – may I be saved.”
As her attention eventually shifted towards the direction of the upcoming ritual, she realized there was another individual seated. She spent the remaining five to ten minutes clutching her hair, reading something, then finally settled with crossed legs, uttering commands like a hypnotist.
“Remember, take care of my parents.”
This magical phrase was all it took. The bride’s trance was broken, and her chamber, along with her dreams, spun around. Her dreams were shattered in a single stroke. How challenging it is for elders to manage children in comparison to their own offspring. She pushed aside all the formalities and asked herself the poignant question,
“Why? Did your parents also eat soil?”
In her reflections, the poignant tale of the bride’s journey through love and sacrifice resonates. Her tale is a testament to the intricacies of family dynamics, the burdens that elders bear, and the silent sacrifices made for the well-being of loved ones. The bride’s story stands as a reminder that while traditions and rituals shape our lives, the essence of our relationships and the unspoken sacrifices are what truly define us.