While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Mumbai, India, I had one of those life-changing incident that you catch other people talk about — the kind that sneaks up on you unaware. This one happened a paltry two feet away from me.
Struggling to search my friend among the travelers landing through the jetway, I observed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He paused right next to me to meet his family.
First, he indicated to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other an emotional love and long hug. Then they separated from each other, I hear the father said, “It’s so nice to see you, my son. I missed you very much!” His loving son smiled and shyly, avoided fathers eyes and answered softly, “Me, too, Dad!”
Then the man positioned up, and looked steadily in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe nine or ten) and while caressing his hand on his son’s head and said, “Son you already quite the young. I love you very much, Sameer!” They too made emotional climate there at the airport.
When this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half) was wiggling passionately in her mother’s arms, never once getting her eyes off her father as he returning form a long time. The man gently grabs his baby girl from her mother and said,”Hi, baby girl”. He was kissing her face all over and then held her close to his chest while caressing her from side to side. The little girl feels relaxed in her father’s arms and put her head on his shoulder.
The moment later, he handed his daughter to his wife and declared, “Ate the best is stored!” and proceeded towards his wife took his daughter again and handed to his son after that, He took long and most passionate kiss his wife I remembered seeing. He looked into her eyes and said. “I love you so much!” They stared into each other’s eyes, beaming big smiles at one another while holding both hands and kissed again.
For a moment, they looked like a newly-married couple, but they couldn’t possibly be I knew by the age of their kids. I stuck about it for a moment then realized how totally engaged I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love, All this happened just more than a hand from me. I suddenly felt agonizing, as if I was occupied something sacred, I was amazed hearing my own voice outwardly ask, “Wow! How long have you two been married?
“Its fourteen years total been together, twelve of those married,” he replied, without breaking his loving contact with his lovely wife’s face. “Well then, how far have you been away?” I asked. The man finally turns towards me maintaining his smile on his face and said. “Two whole days!”
Two days? I was amazed. By the power of the meeting, I had thought it been a long time (about a months or years) – if not weeks. Betrayed me my expression…. yes I know.
Almost carelessly I said, and to get back to searching for my friend, “I hope my marriage is also still that passionate after twelve years!”
The man suddenly stopped smiling.
He looked me straight, and with a fire that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a very different person. He told me, “Don’t hope, friend… decide!” Then he shined me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, “God bless!”
