The missing rib

A girl in love asked her boyfriend.

Girl: Tell me. Who do you love most in this world?

Boy: You, of course!

Girl: In your heart, what am I to you?

The boy thought for a moment and looked intently in her eyes and said,  

 "You are my rib. It was said that God saw that Adam was lonely. Hence, when Adam was sleeping, God took one of his rib and created Eve. Ever since then, every man has been searching for his missing rib. It is said that only when you find the woman of your life then you'll no longer feel the lingering ache in your heart."

The girl was extremely touched at his reply. Before long, there were married. After their wedding, the couple had a sweet and happy life for a while. However, the youthful couple began to drift apart due to the busy schedules in their lives and the never ending worries of daily problems. Their life became mundane. All the challenges posed by the harsh realities of life began to gnaw away their dreams and love for each other. The couple began to have more quarrels and each quarrel became more heated.

One day, after a particularly heated quarrel, the girl ran out of the house

At the opposite side of the road, she shouted,

 "You don't love me!"

The boy hated her childishness and out of impulse retorted,

 "Maybe, it was a mistake for us to be together! You were never my missing rib!"

Suddenly, she turned quiet and stood there for a long while. He regretted what he said but the words spoken are like water that was thrown away, you can never take it back. With tears, she went home to pack her things and was determined to breakup.

Before she left the house she said,

"If I'm really not your missing rib, please let me go."

She continued,

"It is less painful this way. Let us go on our separate ways and search for our own partners."

Five years went by...

He never remarried but he had tried to find out about her life indirectly. She had left the country for a while but retuned eventually. She had married a foreigner and that relationship ended with a divorce. He felt anguished that she never waited for him.

In the dark and lonely night, he lit his cigarette and felt the lingering ache in his heart. He couldn't bring himself to admit that he was missing her.

One day, they finally met each other by chance at the airport, a place where there were many reunions and goodbyes. He was going away on a business trip. She was standing there alone. They were separated by the security door She smiled at him gently.

Boy: How are you?

Girl: I'm fine. How about you? Have you found your missing rib?

Boy: No.

Girl: I'll be flying to New York in the next flight.

Boy: I'll be back in 2 weeks time. Give me a call when you are back. You know my number. Nothing has changed.

With a smile, she turned around and waved goodbye.

Goodbye...

One week later, he heard of her death. She had perished in New York in the event that shocked the world on September 11.

Once again on another dark and lonely night, he lit his cigarette. And like before, he felt the lingering ache in his heart. He finally knew. She was the missing rib that he had carelessly broken.

Sometimes, people say things out of moments of fury. More often than not, the outcome could be disastrous and detrimental. We vent our frustrations 99% of the time at our loved ones. And even though we know that we ought to "Think twice and act wisely", it's often easier said than done.

Many of the things which happened each day are beyond our control. Let us treasure every moment and everyone in our lives.

Tomorrow may never come.

Give and accept what you have today.

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