In a cozy sunlit room, Aparna and Brajesh sat across their family counsellor, the tension palpable. Their marriage, felt like a battlefield, and today they were on the brink of divorce.
Aparna spoke first, her voice thick with emotion. “Brajesh never listens to me! He’s always out with his friends, leaving me to handle everything alone. Just last week, when our daughter was ill, he chose to go to a party instead of staying home to help me!” Her accusation hung in the air, laden with disappointment. “It feels like I’m just a maid in this house, invisible and unappreciated.”
Brajesh’s face flushed with indignation. “That’s such a low blow, Aparna! I work hard to provide for this family. You wouldn’t understand the stress I’m under! When I come home, all you do is complain about my late nights instead of asking how my day was!” He leaned forward, his voice rising. “You never show any gratitude for what I do! It’s like you only care about your own feelings!”
The counsellor interjected gently, but Aparna was already on a roll. “You know what? It’s not just about the late nights. You never want to talk about anything meaningful. Our conversations are all at the surface level. You’d rather scroll through your phone than have a real discussion! I feel so alone in this marriage.”
Brajesh shot back, “Maybe that’s because every time I try to talk, you shut me down! You’re so critical that I can’t even breathe without worrying I’ll say the wrong thing. You’ve made our home a place of constant judgment!
As the session wore on, both took turns presenting their cases, the accusations flying like arrows. Aparna continued, “You’re emotionally unavailable! I can’t remember the last time you held my hand or asked how I was feeling. It’s like I’m living with a roommate instead of a husband. You care more about your video games than our family!”
Brajesh retorted, “And you’ve become so controlling! Every decision I make gets questioned. It feels like I’m trapped! I can’t even go out with friends without facing your wrath. You think you’re the only one who sacrifices? What about my needs?”
The air crackled with frustration, and the counsellor sensed the deadlock. “Let’s dig deeper. Who started this cycle of hurt? When did things begin to go wrong?”
Aparna launched into a vivid recounting of how Brajesh had forgotten their anniversary. “You didn’t even bother to remember, Brajesh! I spent the whole day waiting for a call or a message. When you finally came home, you acted like it was just another day. I felt completely invisible!”
“And you made me feel like a criminal for having a busy schedule!” Brajesh fired back. “You act as if your feelings are the only ones that matter. That night, you didn’t even let me explain. You just yelled and threw accusations, as if I had planned to hurt you!”
Once again, the room grew heavy with blame. They both seemed to find solace in their grievances, each detail cutting deeper than the last.
“Finally, let’s talk about the last incident that pushed you over the edge,” the counsellor prompted, sensing the need for clarity.
“In the heat of the moment, I told him he was useless!” Aparna cried, her voice breaking. “I regretted it immediately, but I was so frustrated!”
“And I told her she didn’t support me!” Brajesh shot back; his voice filled with anger. “But it felt justified at that moment!”
The counsellor sighed, sensing the futility in their exchange. “What if we looked at the situation objectively?”
To everyone’s surprise, the counsellor pulled up CCTV footage from that incident. Aparna and Brajesh watched, wide-eyed, as the video played. It showed not just the explosion of anger, but the slow build-up that had led to it.
“Look,” the counsellor pointed. “Both of you were escalating things without realizing it. Instead of cooling down, you fed off each other’s anger.”
As they watched, Aparna’s eyes softened. “I see now… I was being dismissive before he exploded.”
“And I could have chosen my words better,” Brajesh admitted, shame creeping into his voice.
The counsellor nodded. “Controlling our actions, even when our thoughts are nasty, is the first step to healing. If you had paused instead of reacting, things might have been different.”
Aparna and Brajesh exchanged glances, a flicker of understanding igniting between them. They began to realize that their relationship was worth saving, but it would require effort and control.
As they left the session, the sun shone brightly outside, symbolizing hope. They knew it wouldn’t be easy, but for the first time in a long while, they felt like they were on the same team.
In the weeks that followed, they began to communicate better, stopping hurtful words before they left their lips. Each small victory brought them closer together.
And that’s how they learned that while thoughts can be
nasty, mastering the art of silence and understanding can lead to true
victories in love.