Kiran1209 asks:
In my family, there is no good communication between my mother and father. And the situation has been like this for years. There is always a difference in opinion between them and this leads to fighting. Often I don’t like the atmosphere that is created in the house. There is never a normal discussion in our house, it always ends up in fighting ( verbally). I always have to intervene and lighten the atmosphere. I hope you get what I am trying to tell. If it had been a little abnormal, I would have not mentioned this to you. So, the girl I met comes from a different atmosphere (normal family ). It’s much better than our house. So, a thought comes to my mind “why a girl like her should be exposed to such a negative atmosphere?” And this thought goes through my mind continuously when I am at home (dealing with the condition). And in arranged marriage it’s not just two people but the families are involved too. I told her about the family situation too and asked if she wouldn’t rather have an arrange marriage with a more suitable option than me (family being my main concern). But even after telling her this, she wanted to go ahead with me. I didn’t understand why she still wanted to go ahead in this process with me. On asking her she told me “I discussed the above point with my mother (her mother) and she said you want to live with the person most of the time and his behavior matters the most.” Yes, the person who you are marrying matters the most, but the family’s behavior is also important, right? I just can’t get rid of the thought that, why should such a person come into a negative atmosphere of our family. How would you look at this situation??
Hi Kiran1209 –
There’s an old story about a traveling salesman. He goes to a small town and wants to get a haircut. He finds out there are two barbers in the town. He walks around to check them out. The first barber’s shop is a disaster – it looks like it hasn’t been swept up in weeks, the equipment is old, and the barber himself has sloppy hair and clothes. He then goes to the second shop. It’s neat, clean, and fashionable. The barber is smartly dressed and groomed, everything in place.
He goes to the first shop. Why?
Because that’s the barber who gave the second barber his haircut! The neat one gave the crummy cut to the slob!
Now back to you, you are absolutely correct that families matter enormously in all relationships, and even more in arranged marriages. But I’m guessing that this girl has seen that, in her family where her parents get along so well, she or one of her siblings is the “difficult one” in the house. And the parents have to calm that person down. Whereas in your home, you are the mediator, you’re the one making everything better. Isn’t that the ideal guy she ought to consider marrying?!
I’ll add something else. She’s heard your pain. You hate what’s wrong in your parents’ marriage, and want so badly to have something different from that. Well, when she hears that, she’s hearing “I don’t want endless fighting. I want to work things out and be happy.”
I’m no mind-reader, but if I have this correct, this lady is S M A R T !!!!
All my best,
Shirelle
ps: Oh one other thing – she also sees that your parents, who struggle in their marriage, have still stayed together. That also might mean a lot to her – this isn’t a family where people are going to divorce at the first disagreement!