Misunderstanding...

Let’s take a situation. He is an average Indian husband and she, an average Indian wife. He comes home from work. Tired. She’s come just before him and has changed into easy casuals one usually wears at home. They’ve a kid. It has just started walking. It walks but falls very often. It has just fallen and she’s just nursed him. It took her about half an hour to do that. She’s tired too, still she asks him for tea. He says he wants it. Then she cooks for him and asks about dinner. He says he’ll have it at home. She cooks a full meal too. Now she’s exhausted.

Earlier in the morning they’d decided to drive about 200 kms to her friend’s wedding. It is supposed to happen the next day. He had asked her to be ready when he came. She was. But when she saw her husband’s state of energy she decided not to remind him of it. However, he still remembers because he’s fond of driving and they have just bought a new car.

He asks “When’re we leaving?” She says we’ll leave soon and gets busy with the kid, utensils and the kitchen while he prods through the maze of TV channels. An hour later he asks “Are we leaving or not?” she says “Its not necessary that we go.” She’s just concerned. Her husband is tired.

Sometime later he asks her again “Do you want to go or not?” Again she says “Its not necessary that we go.” That’s not the questions says he. “Do you want to or not?” Again replies she “Its not necessary…”

Then they have a fight. He didn’t understand she was only caring for him. She didn’t understand he only wanted an answer. A “Yes” or a “No”

He didn’t understand she is tired too, she didn’t understand her husband loves driving. He wouldn’t want to miss a chance.

What do you think would have happened if this had been the case:

He comes home from work. Tired. She asks him for tea. He says he wants it. She cooks it for him. She asks whether he wants to dine at home. He gets up from infront of the TV and helps her around in the kitchen. They dine together. Clean together. Then he asks her about the trip. She says she wants to go if he's not tired. They go for the drive.

OR

She says "I'm tired too, let's not go." And they don't go for the drive.

No arguments. No loud voices. A simple regular conversation.

Most problems are mere misunderstandings. A little obervance and empathy is all that is needed.

The Happy Prince...
TH Prince