The Most Special Gift

My anger and my hurt, resulting from an idle mind, mostly are always directed towards the individuals I love. Them, who will listen to me rant and rage without so much as a tweep, but even they burst out sometimes, their patience cannot hold out against my pathetic outlet all the time.

This happened after a weekend when my fiancé went with his friends to a symposium in another state, to a renowned beach, which was a great excuse for them to be entertaining the occasional addictions the men manage to cultivate. However much I try not to be “the nagging wife”, I am a woman with a woman’s instincts and feel for things, and however much ever I may loathe reacting emotionally about it, I do, sometimes.

The bone of contention was the increased frequency of these occasional rendezvous. I will put my foot down when it starts getting out of hand, and not after it already has. And as much as a man needs mothering all his life, he really detests the word itself. 

A fight ensued. And against his quiet, reserved and unbending will, I shouted in a not-so reserved manner. 

Contrition comes to me fast, as I am not one who is happy shouting. Realization, though late, also makes its way into my hard head eventually. 

I almost let him go away on his five-day trip with us angry with each other. With me angry with him. I didn’t apologize. It wasn’t as if we didn’t talk to each other but I made sure he knew I was upset with him, especially knowing that, that it hurt him. I am not proud of what I did, wasn’t then. I would confess to being conniving and hurtful, but in my poor, lame defense I can only say, I did it for him. If my hurt would transform into him refraining.

But if men don’t understand women, women also don’t always do a great job of understanding men.

I missed him when he was not with me.

He had his share of fun. We share. He told me of all that had transpired, filmy fights, broken bones, rough sea, bathing escapades, upset stomachs and knowing me, he only skimmed over the drunk and high nights, to which at least, I was matured enough not to harp on or show my blatant disapproval in the most roundabout manner.

And the issue was forgotten. (A simple thing becomes serious, only when you let it)

I was still angry at him, hurt because did I matter so less? Typical woman, isn’t it?

I met him almost a week after he came back, both of us caught up in our respective jobs, from morning till night. We had a great time.

As we were about to leave, he pressed into my hand something misshapen, wrapped in plain white paper, tied with a rubber band, hardly two inches long and one inch wide. He smiled and told me to open it only when I got home, for him please? He knows how curious I can be. And with the instruction, don’t squeeze it, a’right?

And it was the first thing I did when I got back home, I unwrapped it.

And in my palm lay the sea-shells.



“Have a great time, and travel safe! See if you remember to call me!”
“Guria!!”
“Okay, okay, try and call me! In all excitement, don’t forget me, a’rite!”
“Guria, stop being ridiculous.”
“Don’t do those dratted things…. please!”
“I dunno… I might.”
“You really don’t care about me, do you?!!”
“How is that one thing related to the other?”
“I can’t ask you not to indulge. You will never listen to me. You just don’t give a damn about me.”
“It’s a guys’ trip, Guria… one weekend doesn’t make any of us an addict. And stop equating everything to what you are to me. Anyway, you know I’m going because I have never gone there before and it was you who told me that it is wonderful.”
“That’s my favourite beach in the world. Last time I had gone, hmm, can’t even remember when, long back… when we were not jumping in the sea, I used to have the best time collecting sea-shells… If you can’t really listen to me, at least do me a favour, don’t go into the sea drunk, okay?”
“Guria…!!”

Those sea-shells are the best gift I ever got.
I stared at them for a long time, my hands were shivering with guilt. And with love and the happiness seeping through, as I remembered.
With those precious little sea-shells in my hand, I cried.

N.B. And I realize, you are not the only one who alone understands vices and virtues, what’s good and what’s not for the one you love. He understands it, too. G.

About Guria

An Artist in Science: A Misfit 'cause I choose to be one. "Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform" And a Maverick, because, I'm... umm... brilliant?
This entry was posted in Heart, Love, Me, You. Bookmark the permalink.

25 Responses to The Most Special Gift

  1. I don't have much to say to be true, Guria. Loving couples always bring a special smile on my face – and your post also brought a smile on my face!

    He loves you. You love him. Period. 🙂

    PS: I am the first one to comment! 😛

    Like

  2. Samadrita says:

    What a lovely anecdote!You have a man in your life who truly values your presence in his.
    May God bless both of you! :))

    Like

  3. Thats a super sweet post.
    i loved reading it.
    Sreya u deserve all the happiness this world has to offer.
    By the way , your fiance is great too.

    “And as much as a man needs mothering all his life, he really detests the word itself. “

    Spot on.
    Though i will love to be “mothered” by good natured girls…..lol

    Like

  4. Bikram says:

    🙂

    Is what i can say or DO SMILE…

    Like

  5. Rajlakshmi says:

    🙂 🙂 🙂
    thats all I can say 🙂
    good luck to both of you 🙂

    Like

  6. Sach! says:

    Aww that's so sweet!
    I guess we fight and love back the one's we care for. And he knows that. so smile 🙂

    Out of blues question, what's your sunsign? 🙂

    Like

  7. It brought me the day back when i gifted a sea shell for the most impacting person in my life ….

    Like

  8. Harini says:

    :).

    love ya and good luck to both of you :).

    Like

  9. Chatterbox says:

    Aww..that was a very sweet post G 🙂
    Wishing you both loads of love,good luck and cheer forever 😀 😀

    Like

  10. A very sweet post girlie 🙂 🙂 I remember hearing “stop acting like my mother” plenty of times 🙂 Nice to see that he values you so much in life. Wishing you both good luck 🙂

    Like

  11. Anu says:

    Awwww.. such a sweet post.. I find it silly saying this, but I could totally relate to this one like the last post too 🙂 That was a very sweet gesture from his end!! Geez, touchwood to you guys.

    Like

  12. 7-aTe-9 says:

    wht a post girl!!! it is so true… maybe we dont realize how sensitive men are at times. n strangely, there is some kinda sadistic pleasure in knowing we hv d power to irritate them…. lol

    Like

  13. HaRy!! says:

    so happy for yu… 🙂

    Like

  14. Shilpa says:

    such a sweet gift… you are a lucky girl 🙂

    Like

  15. Raja says:

    That's a beautiful post. I'm still wearing an ah-that's-so-sweet smile 🙂

    Will blogroll you

    Like

  16. your post definitely bought a smile on my face especially on a gloomy Saturday evening 🙂

    Like

  17. wow!!! wonderful read and a wonderful feeling 🙂

    lucky girl you !!!

    Like

  18. all I can say is please read my poem 'love lines'…for a relationship to grow, space is vital!

    Like

  19. Guria says:

    @Arjit: Thank you. And first one to comment indeed! :))

    @Sammy: Thank you dearie. :))

    @Bikram: Thanks. :))

    @IP: Thank you. But you are always telling me how nice I'm from the time we know each other! 😀
    Ahh, mothering is sweet, but my experience, not 24×7… 😛

    @Rajlakshmi: Thank you so much, dear! :))

    @Sach!: Yeah, you are right, but often we become too short-sighted which is not good. Thanks, girl!:))

    @Mahesh: Seashells?! would enjoy hearing that story. :))

    @Harini: Thanks darling, and luv ya' back! :))

    @CB: Thank you so so so much! :))

    @Avada: Hmm, he is too tactful to stir up that hornet's nest! He just tried and stay mum! 😀
    Thank you darling! =)

    @Anu: Thank you girl! Relating is not silly, I find that sweet too! :))

    @7-ate-9: That is something that I'm not proud of, maneuvering is one thing, manipulating another… 😛

    @HaRy: Thanks! After a long time seeing you here! :))

    @Shilpa: Wasn't it?? Thank you! =)

    @Raja: Thank you and Thank you! :))

    @Nan: It is GREAT to see one of my favourite blogger-poets back in here!! :))

    @Vintage Obsession: I am really glad! after all, I strive to make people smile! :))

    @AD: Whoa! See huz here!! Thank you darling!! =))

    @Nalini: I just read that piece, and it was perfect. Thank you for that. :))

    Like

  20. First time here:)nice post,it made me remember those days when I was collecting shells with a special someone:)got a big bag of them,of all shapes and sizes!!!Memories refreshed…Thank you:)

    Like

  21. Sach! says:

    happy dappy budday gurl !
    Just in time..read on stephen's status updates 🙂

    Like

  22. Raj says:

    \m/
    i owe vidhu a great blog!

    😛

    sea shells 😛
    used to collect them when i was kid. but ofcourse i had to throw them when they started smelling 😦

    Like

  23. awwwwwwwwwwww

    just awwwwwwwwwww

    Like

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