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“If you hurt my feelings one more time…”
Pattu looks at Ammu with threatening eyes. Ammu replies hardly looking up from her coloring book “I hurt your feelings already. I hurt you first!”
Saathi and I grin across the dining table and file these conversations to retold and enjoyed years later. My mind however is stuck on the “If you hurt my feelings one more time…”. The words untold are as powerful as the ones that are out in the open.
I stand at the sink rinsing off my dinner plate and mulling over my life. If adults could warn each other about emotional implosions before they happen. If I warned everyone who hurt my feelings that I was reaching the stretching point, would life be any different? Any better? I have no answers but a part of me demurs.
Awkward silences. Eyes that remind you of better times. Of impromptu hugs and life lessons. The moment passes and we each carry on. Like nothing has changed. The past is a beautiful memory. The present, however bitter, is real. I remind myself that the future cannot change the past. The silences will ring loud. The elephant will be in the room. We will each circle around, leave words unsaid and pretend nothing ever happened.
Unless of course we could say “If you hurt my feelings one more time…”.
Like this! Maybe we should all be doing this more often if not at all.
Totally! It would be refreshing to just speak our minds and deal with the consequences.
Maybe… My last attempt did not go so well. 🙂
I totally understand. Not everyone appreciate the honesty!
Don’t know Laksh! I have said that even as an adult, still did get hurt. Though yeah I did speak my mind! 🙂
Sadly Apar, the relationships we want to save are inherently flawed. It takes two to tango and often the ones left behind in the dust obviously saw more than was obvious.
Sometimes you wonder if the illusion that is status quo is better.
I have said that as an adult too. And, always, the other person has understood, whenever he/she has been worth it!
Worth is so relative no?
Yes, it is. At some point in our relationships, though, we do have to decide whether the other person is worth it? Or if we are worth him/her, right?
Absolutely.