It So Sad To Let You Go Because Of Our Religious Differences
It will be easy for people to blame me for letting Rita leave because of our religious beliefs, but wait until you have heard my own side of the story.
I started dating Rita right from my days in the secondary school, and even though we didn’t attend the same school, we saw each other virtually every day. The thought of marriage was completely out of it since we were both very young. What we thought won’t last more than a few months or years grew into one of the longest relationships anyone in my family has had.
I am from a Muslim family, and she is from a Christian family; but those things didn’t matter to both of us then. My family too didn’t complain much even because they thought the relationship was going to fizzle out with time. My dad however, started raising his eyebrows and other family members like my uncles started getting concerned about my relationship with Rita.
As the years rolled bye with no sign of either of us letting go, my dad started showing his disgust for my relationship with Rita. He would call me aside a couple of times to warn me of the implication of my romance with a non-Muslim, and sometimes threaten to disown me if I didn’t put a stop to it. The more my family threatened me, the more my love grew for her. However, I was no longer able to invite her over to our home since my family members had warned me not to do that anymore. I felt under enormous pressure, and matters became so complicated.
Ironically, Rita’s parents were not hostile towards me, but were not too supportive of my relationship with their daughter. Rita’s determination to fight for our love was stronger than mine. She was able to convince her parents not to pressure her into breaking up with me, but I wasn’t able to do so because my dad was always bringing up my case.
Things have now gotten out of hand as my family members have started sending messages threatening Rita. They warn her whenever and wherever they have the opportunity to do so, and I don’t think I have the guts to soak the pressure anymore. Things have gone out of hand, but Rita is determined to see it through no matter what; but I think I have had enough. I tried explaining to her that our love life is hurting other people, but she would have nothing of that. I know a lot of people would castigate and criticize me, but I have stopped seeing her, and also stopped picking up her calls. It is a difficult thing to do, but it is for the best interest of the two of us. That I love her is not in doubt, but I can’t spend the rest of my life with a woman my family members hate so much. Call me whatever name you like, the truth is you have to be in my shoes to judge me. The family that I have is one that will fight to defend what they believe in; and Rita will be the victim, and I don’t want that. I don’t want our kids to be in the centre of serious family feud that has nothing to do with them.
Rita may not know this, but I am really suffering from not being with her, but it is a sacrifice that I must have to make.
Please understand me.
