-as always, please be patient with Grammatical error-
This is a short story written by the Pulitzer winner, Jumpha Lahiri. Wrapped along with other short stories in The Interpreter of Maldives, the book that let Lahiri won the Pulitzer, the story has captivated me so deeply.
Lahiri told us about the life of Shoba and Shukumar, a married couple lived in Maldives. After having their unborn baby, Shoba and Shukumar gradually changed. They became expert of avoiding each other in their own house. Until one day, their electricity will be cut off for five days due to a snowstorm.
Because of that, they would not have electricity during the night. Since they would not be able to do anything else, they decided to have a candle light dinner for five days. But they set up a very unique rule. They had to tell their secret which they already kept for years. So, for the first time since the unborn baby accident, they barely spoke to each other.
From the conversation, they found out how devastating was their marriage. They realized that both of them completely turned into someone else. They hardly knew or understood what’s in other’s mind. And they realized that there was no hope for their marriage, even if they still love each other.
***
I love the way Lahiri patiently describes the life of Shukumar and Shoba. I adore the way she writes those simple things as numbers of dot and smartly connects them, one by one to create a nice, simple but elegant story. Just like every great writer, she brings you to feel their situation, to understand their feeling and to think that you’re a part of their story. Somehow, I can understand how does it feel to be the heartbreaking Shoba and the hurting Shukumar. The plot she plays in this story is also amazing. And the ending is just, awesome. Sad, but awesome.
And personally, it alarms me how complicated is the marriage life. Even if with years of togetherness, it will be very difficult to anticipate the fact that people change, situation changes, and love, somehow, changes. Love, passion, commitment, they’re the foundation of marriage. Any mistakes to keep them alive will put any marriages in risk. And as a Christian, I think it is the reason why you should put God as the cornerstone of your marriage. People change, situation changes, and love, somehow, changes, but God, remains the same.
