Love Is Love So Pure

Love, this four-letter word, has so many different dimensions. This word changes its meaning as per the subject, person, or any creature on Earth. Recently, I saw a video on YouTube where a mother bear was trying to safely take her two cubs from one side of the forest to the other. The anguish the mother bear showed on her face due to her anxiety of not being able to do it was unexplainable. The reason being, the road between the two sides of the forest was busy with very huge trucks passing through that path. Once the task of putting both her cubs safely inside the entrance of the forest was done, the love she showed was heartwarming. We can go on and on describing many such incidents - the love of parents towards their children, the love of birds towards their offspring, the love of animals towards their cubs, and of course, we have many people who have dedicated their entire lives in search of God, which is also another form of love.

Reshma was deep in some kind of serious thinking. She seemed to be lost in her own world of thoughts, as noticed by her sister. Her sister wanted to know the reason but was hesitant since she was younger and feared being admonished by Reshma for minding her own business. So, she gave up that idea. This continued for many weeks until the bubble burst. One fine day, Reshma went missing from her home, leaving a letter addressed to her parents stating that she would be getting married to Virat, her classmate and her love. This sent shockwaves across Reshma's entire household and her neighborhood too. Relatives were yet to know about this development. Reshma's entire family frantically searched nearby places within their premises. They were shocked and confused, wondering where their daughter could have gone. As they checked her room and her almirah, her mother noticed that some of her clothes were also missing. When she inquired with Reshma's sister if she knew anything about where Reshma might have gone, initially she denied, but when her mother asked repeatedly with anger, her sister broke down and revealed that Reshma had been talking to someone on the phone for long hours, especially during the night when everyone was asleep. She even revealed that she overheard the other person's name as Nitin. This was enough for everyone to flare up with anger as they guessed that Reshma must have eloped with the same person she was talking to for such long hours. Her father and brothers were so annoyed that if they got a chance, they would have thrashed her black and blue, and what they would have done with Nitin is anybody's guess.

With this backdrop, we will read what transpired in their lives further. After running away from their family and friends, Reshma and Nitin went to Surat where Nitin had a good friend, Shreyas, who assured them of good support if they happened to come over to Surat. So, they both boarded the train to Surat, and on reaching there, they received a warm welcome from Shreyas and his wife Nidhi. After the initial courtesy and cooperation from them, Reshma and Nitin were quite comfortable in their new place of living. They even rented a house close to Nidhi's house, and Shreyas was pleased with this. Days were rolling at a high speed. Shreyas got a transfer order, and he joined his new office in Surat. Reshma, too, took up a job as a school teacher in the city's reputed school. She would be paid well, and the timings were convenient for her and Shreyas as well. What else can a newly married young couple ask for? The only point that Reshma was feeling bad about

 was that she had to go against her parents and elders to get married to Nitin. She always dreamt of a fairytale wedding like any girl of her age. But as things did not work her way, she had to compromise, and she did not have any regrets about her marriage to Nitin. Nitin made her life so beautiful, almost like a song in duet form. The lyrics were so melodious every day. The picture was perfect until one day when their life had to undergo a dramatic change.

"Reshma, Reshma, where are you, dear?" This was Nitin calling out for his dear wife as he returned from his office. Reshma, who was in the kitchen preparing pakoda and tea for Nitin as was her habit every day, came hurriedly to the drawing room. She was anxious as to why her hubby was shouting for her. As she entered the room, she noticed Nitin arranging something on the table with a smile on his face. As she came near him, Nitin hugged her and lifted her in his arms, swirling around almost shouting aloud. He gave her a small gold chain and whispered in her ear that he had been promoted with a salary hike. This news was like nectar to Reshma's ears. She understood that whatever she had wanted but controlled her wants due to budgeting would be possible now. This was the best possible news anyone could hear. As she ran to the kitchen to get something sweet to celebrate the news, Nitin was seen conveying this news to his good friend Shreyas and inviting them over for dinner to celebrate. After dinner with Shreyas and Nidhi, Reshma and Nitin came back to their home. It was quite late in the night, and they were about to sleep. While Reshma was preparing to sleep, Nitin gently hugged her and said that he heard from Shreyas that they were going to purchase a house in an upscale area. The price of the house was high, and he was thinking about how to make the arrangements now that there was a rise in his pay. Reshma was very happy and excited, but being tired, she dozed off to sleep. Looking at her sleeping peacefully, Nitin, too, went to sleep with a smile on his face. Yes, the future was going to be very bright. He had made big plans for the same. Will it work out the same way? Let's read on.

The next morning, when Nitin woke up, he saw Reshma seated in the corner of the room on the couch as if burdened with some serious issue. Nitin got up from his bed, went to her, and tapped on her shoulder. He asked her what the matter was, "Is everything ok?" he asked his wife. In reply, Reshma did not say anything. Nitin understood that there was some issue troubling her. He assumed it to be work-related stress. But when he questioned her about it, Reshma answered in a very low volume that she was pregnant. Nitin asked her again, and this time Reshma answered a bit louder that she was pregnant. She went on to say that she had missed her periods, and when she got tested with a pregnancy test kit, it showed positive. Nitin was shocked; it was not the news he wanted to hear at that time. He had big plans for their future, and a baby at this juncture would be a burden of sorts. He immediately said to Reshma, "We will get an appointment with the gynaecologist and ask her to help us get rid of this problem. We are not yet so well-placed financially and have so much to do. The responsibility of a baby needs a lot of dedication and money

. So let us drop this idea of having a baby for now." he said. 

On hearing what Nitin said, Reshma got shocked and shouted, "What do you mean? It is against my ethics to get rid of a life that is growing inside me!" On hearing this, Nitin tried to console a weeping Reshma by saying that ethics are fine to hear but to follow at this juncture is foolishness. He said, "We have yet to achieve so much in our careers and have goals to accomplish. Bearing a child and taking care of the child requires a lot of time, effort, dedication, and above all, the money that is needed to do all this." In response, Reshma said, "Look, I am pregnant, but I am not sick. I can work for 6 more months and support you financially. So let us plan everything together and implement all these things. We will reach our goals." Nitin was fuming and said, "Now you are talking nonsense. Do whatever you want; I am getting late for the office," saying this, he got into the shower, quickly got dressed up, and left for his office without having his breakfast. 

Reshma, too, was getting late to go to school, but as she walked up to the shower, she felt like she would throw up, and that's what happened. She started vomiting. She felt tired after that and wanted to skip going to school that day. She called the school office and applied for a day's leave, citing a health problem. As the vomiting sessions became more frequent, her neighbour, an elderly lady, advised Reshma to go to a gynaecologist who would suggest some medicine for that, and she could get a check-up done as well. Reshma accompanied by her neighbor went to a nearby gynecologist, who said it was nothing but morning sickness, which is common during pregnancy. This was a bit of a relief to Reshma. The doctor gave her some medicines to be taken regularly, which would make her feel better. On reaching home, Reshma had to face one more shock. Her school administrator decided that since Reshma was pregnant, she would go on leave, so in order to ensure that the work does not get affected, another teacher will be hired in her place until Reshma returns. But the salary will be given to the new teacher instead of Reshma, which was obvious. 

Without a job, with a pregnancy, and on top of it, without any family support and tiffs with Nitin, life seemed like hell to Reshma. They had to cut a lot of expenses. But due to her pregnancy, a few expenses became compulsory, like visits to the doctor, buying medicines prescribed by the doctor, eating nutritious food for herself and the baby, and so on. All this meant more expenses which were unavoidable. Arguments between Reshma and Nitin became more frequent. They were trapped in a situation that saw no end to all their trappings, which, in fact, were not serious but seemed very serious. Time kept flowing, and Reshma was into the ninth month of pregnancy. She started getting labour pains, and Nitin rushed her to a nearby maternity nursing home. He saw her suffering with severe pain and understood that motherhood is a challenge in itself. After three days, Reshma delivered a beautiful and healthy daughter. After the umbilical cord was cut, the baby was put on Reshma's chest. This made Reshma so emotional that tears started flowing from her eyes. The feel of the tiny body and arms made her feel heavenly. She forgot all her pain and had a happy smile on her face. She was the mother of a lovely baby who would be the most important part of her life from now on.

Nitin, too, was extremely happy to become a father, and all his arguments and concerns about having a child vanished as he held his daughter in his arms for the first time. He realized that the joy and happiness a child brings to one's life cannot be measured in terms of money or career achievements. It is a blessing that fills the heart with love and purpose.

Reshma and Nitin named their daughter Riya. With the arrival of Riya, their lives took a new turn. They faced several challenges and responsibilities as new parents, but they embraced them with love and determination. Nitin realized that the joy of having a family was far greater than any financial or career success. He started working harder to provide for his wife and daughter. Reshma, on the other hand, found immense happiness and fulfilment in taking care of Riya and watching her grow. She pursued her dreams of being a teacher by starting home tuitions for students, which allowed her to work from home while taking care of Riya.

Over the years, Reshma and Nitin faced many ups and downs, but their love and commitment to each other and their daughter helped them overcome every obstacle. They learned the true meaning of love, sacrifice, and the joy of parenthood. Riya grew up to be a bright and talented girl, making her parents proud at every step.

In the end, it was love that transformed their lives and taught them the value of relationships and the beauty of a family. Love is not just about romantic feelings; it is about selflessness, understanding, and support. It is about embracing the challenges and joys of life together. Reshma and Nitin's story is a testament to the power of love and the incredible journey it can take us on.

Note: The story above is a fictional narrative created for entertainment purposes.