“Mother and father never showed me their tears. I knew they to sell a piece of land to buy gold and prepare the dowry money. I understood their fears. Many women who are married and go to their husband’s home without proper arrangements suffer their entire lives in their new home. Mother and father did not want such a fate for me. Right before the wedding, I had called my mother and told her that I did not want to get married. But she had scolded me. “You are 17 and it is time. The boy is good and he will take care of you. What are you worried about?” I did not want to leave my parents knowing that my marriage would cost them their peace but I had no choice. My words did not matter. They were adamant and there was no convincing my father. When I came to my husband’s home we never spoke of such things.
These practices are old and I did not have the courage to question it. This happens all over and I was no exception. It has been seven years since my marriage and it is a good thing that I feel settled in my husband’s home. We have a daughter and my husband is in Saudi. I know he loves our daughter and calls every week. He also sends money when he is able to earn. I hope when he returns home, he has savings to bring back. For our daughter’s future, for her education. Maybe my daughter will become an officer in the government department. Maybe she will find her own man. Maybe we will have to look for a suitable boy for her. Maybe things will have changed by then and there will not be the dowry practice. Or if people do not change, we might have to sell a piece of our land just like father and mother did.”
