different shades of gratitude

…contd….

 

She cooked, managed kids and home, entertained guests and lived her space. She never demanded anything. She never complained. She never cribbed.

Why, when others praised me, I would be boastful and she would be happy for me. But if she ever said that someone thanked her, I would give it a cold hearing or ask a question that would belittle her praise. Why many times I had even mocked her well-wishers taste! Yet, she always stood by my achievements and felt proud of them” saying this Venkatesh burst into tears. “How could I be so insensitive and hurtful?” he added before crying further.

“So what’s the problem? Just say these lines to your wife and send her a TYC. Simple” someone said from the group. Few others even laughed saying “But remember, once you say these lines you’ll become her slave for life.  She’ll always hold it against you”. It was a silly man-joke. Few laughed but that laugh stopped mid-way when Aziz’s voice boomed “he can’t do as you suggested as his wife died last month”. There was an odd silence that followed. It was both disturbing and painful. Few just mumbled “Oh! We didn’t know that. We are sorry” etc.

Rahul, Priya, Aziz consoled Venkatesh taking him to one corner. I didn’t join them today. I was like stunned today. No Venkat’s wife’s death was no news to me. I knew that. What shocked me were the little nothings that he shared with us today. These were very simple  and normal, common acts in most of our lives and yet they went unnoticed. These acts gave so much of pain to the receiver. I never realized that. I only pitied the wife when the husband was alcoholic, womanizer, gambler, cheater, woman-beater and such explicit physical acts of ‘bad husband’.

....contd....