Baskadia

My mind rolls back to a story shared by a friend. It is a story that got me thinking for a long time. Before I share this story I would like to say a few things about marriage.

Marriage is not a favour done to someone no matter how much the other party seems to need the relationship.It is a beautiful thing and should be undertaken by two ready parties, who know what they are getting into.

The consequences of doing otherwise are always seen. If not in the present then it will be in the future. When you treat your spouse terribly it always turns around on you someday no matter how long it takes.

Funny enough it may be when you have completely forgotten. Marriage was ordained by God and He still in the business of checking and balancing it.

Now let's go into the story.

John and Maria had dated for sometime, love was involved and everything was going on well. John knew that Maria is the kind of woman he would like to marry. 

Along the line Maria took in. In the society where they belong it is a shame to be pregnant and have a baby out of wedlock. And so Maria's parents got involved. 

John was asked what he intended to do and he said he intended to marry Maria. As a matter of fact the wedding had to be done in urgency before Maria's pregnancy would be noticeable. 

Even though John accepted to marry Maria ihe was offering to stop at a traditional wedding. The normal thing in that society was for a bride to do a traditional marriage and either a church or court wedding. That was what made the marriage more honourable and gave the bride more respect. 

John was well to do and could afford both weddings but for some reason he let pride set in. He felt he was doing Maria a favour by saving her from having a baby outside wedlock. Despite all the pleas from Maria's parents for John to add a court wedding of any standard, he just refused to give Maria the honour given to most brides in that society. 

There was no going back because Maria was already pregnant.So Maria and John went ahead with the traditional wedding. Maria had to live with all tongues that wagged around the neighbourhood. A lot of years passed by and they had three children. 

While John was no longer as buoyant as he was before, Maria had advanced in her career. She held a high ranking position in her place of work. It so happened that Maria had been given a responsibility to handle in a more advanced country that people of that society often loved to be given an opportunity to travel to. 

John had rejoiced with her about this as he looked forward to travelling to this country. Maria came back from work the next day and broke the news that she was told she would be allowed to take her spouse on the condition that she presents a valid court marriage certificate to show that they are legally married.

Then John said 'That is not a problem, let's do a court wedding right away'. Just when Maria was rethinking what John had said she told her parents. And they forbade her from doing as John had said. He let you live with it all these years and wants to do it now for his own favour? No! Her father had said. What goes around really comes around. Let me know in your comment what you would do if you were Maria.