As a part of IFORHER’s short story series, Sneha Goel submitted her reality-inspired fictional story on “She was never ENOUGH!”. Sneha is a published author and strong believer that equality is the basis of humanity. Her writing is greatly influenced by issues women face since their childhood, through various phases of their life. She aspires to see her daughters live in a gender-neutral society.
The heart-touching short story about a wife who was never enough for her husband, even though she spent her whole life bringing happiness to him and raising his family. Written in a uniquely poetic way, here’s what Sneha shared with us:
Never she was respected in his life,
No talks were complete without pointing out her errors,
Sometimes salt would be less in dal,
Sometimes too much in curry,
Sometimes the halwa is not as his mother made,
Sometimes the clothes were not in place,
Sometimes her saree was inappropriate for party,
Sometimes her height could be little more,
Sometimes her children could behave well,
Sometimes she could be strict on them a bit more,
The list is never-ending dear friends,
She had been in this marriage for forty years,
All her kids are married and she is a granny now,
Yet he would not spare a chance to taunt her again.
Gradually her son noticed she was short of hearing,
He asked for keys twice but she said she wasn’t asked,
He took her to doctor who confirmed; her hearing has sixty percent gone,
She needed hearing aids but she refused,
The reason she gave to her son will make you astonished soon.
“Dear son! I have heard so much that I no longer wish to hear,
The taunts of your father I will not have to bear,
My prayers have been answered in ways I could never imagine.
The impact his remarks had on me each time,
Made me feel I wasn’t enough for him in this life.
But now my heart would not sulk when he would complain,
I would still be smiling since I could not hear him say.
