When we first met, we immediately felt a connection between us as if some unseen force was drawing us towards each other. We believed that we had a ‘thing’. We started off as being friends and then became best friends and finally lovers. We were inseparable. No matter what, we would be for each other in each other’s needs and crises.

Falling in love is a sweet feeling, but expressing love is even sweeter. He used to buy me clothes and chocolates. I used to cook food for him and feed him. We always competed on who would surprise whom, and our only concern was — who would make the other person happier.

He knew every bit of me, and I knew pretty much everything about him, too. We were just happy to have each other’s company. Coming from a conservative family, we couldn’t tell our parents about our love. So there were those cute moments when we would tell lies to our parents and meet each other.

We would be scared that someone might see us, but that anxiousness somehow felt good. We never wanted to return home. All we wanted was to have each other.

Sure enough, when we came of age, our parents asked if we had someone in our lives, and we told our parents about our love. They were not happy as both of our parents had high aspirations for both of us, but we were stubborn and we pleaded for months and convinced them to give us their blessings.

The first night of our marriage was the happiest day of our lives. We felt as if we had conquered the world. We were now truly inseparable.

We talked all night about our future, about our plans and the wonderful life we would have.

Being in each other’s arms gave the security that nothing else could. At that time, we were the happiest couple in the world.

However, as per Maslow’s law of need, once our basic needs were fulfilled, we wanted more from our life than just each other.

We wanted recognition in society and wanted to established ourselves as someone important in our workplace.

For that, we spent more time at work than with each other.

We talked less and just drifted apart. Financial insecurities hit us, and at times, we began questioning whether we had made the right decision to marry each other.

If someone asks me about my love story, I don’t know what to say or where to begin. I think I would conclude by saying once we were love birds, but now we are like a peacock and an owl co-existing with each other, seeking the meaning of life.