The following day, I woke up at 6h00. The children usually got prepared to go to school by their mother, but that day they were not.

“Chris, where is your mother? Don’t you know that you are late?” I asked.

“Dad, I have not seen her since this morning,” he responded.

After a while, I got the children ready myself, and they went to school. I also got myself ready to go to work, but when I took the small vase, it felt light. When I opened it, there was nothing in it expect a letter. I wondered what was happening, and if thieves had stolen the money. I also wondered if it was Juliet who had fled with the money. I had many questions in my mind, then I tried reading the letter while tears flowed down my face.

Wednesday 1st January 1995
Hey Jack

Five weeks ago, I met a good-looking man. He looked better than you, so I decided to build my new family together with him. So, instead of asking you to pay me for all the time I spent with you, I just decided to take this money as a reward for my hard work.

Juliet

After reading the letter, I wondered how she could do such a thing. I wondered if she had approached me to do something for her that I did not accomplish. She had met the man five weeks ago, however she had been acting as if nothing had happened.

After a while, I went to my job and tried explaining everything to my boss, even though I knew he would never understand me. When I got there, they took me to prison, and after five days, Agogo came to beg them for mercy. They understood my case and said they would begin subtracting money from my pay.

I continued struggling after that happened, and my family was not the same from that point on. I worried a lot from that day, until one day I decided that I should not worry anymore. I told myself that life was very good, even though it placed us in my difficult situations. Sometimes it did that so we could be stronger.

One day, while I was getting ready to go to my job, I saw someone walking towards the house. It was a woman, and she fell down crying when she saw me.

“Oh, my husband Jack,” she said. “Forgive me, my husband. Leave any negative feelings or desire for punishment towards me. I want to be here for you and to you. I know it will not be easy for you to forgive me, but just remember how we began. I know I am unworthy, but please forgive me, Jack.”

While Juliet was speaking, I wondered if I should forgive her after all she had done to me. To be honest, even thou she had fled with the money, I had an intense feeling of affection and care towards her. I could not condemn her.

“Juliet, stand up,” I said. “Do not think I was happy with the thought that I had lost your kindness. I know that I like you, and that is all. All I wanted to do was look after you, protect you from all annoyances, and surround you with entertainment and enjoyment. I have been feeling sorrow since I lost you.”

**********

Mostly, when a marriage is going through a difficult time, other people get divorced and choose not to marry again, but others remarry again. Divorce or separation is not the answer to the problems faced in marriages.

When your car has a deflated tyre, you do not return it, but you change the tyre and do other thing. When you have headache, you do not cut your head off, but you look at the problem. When there is a problem, we do not have to change spouses, but our attitude. You need to build your family because your marriage is not the mistake, but you are the one who made the mistake.

Divorce or separation is not the answer to your problem.

**********

After Chris’s father told him his story, Chris decided not to divorce his wife. “Dad, I will not chase my wife away, I promise you,” he said. “Despite our problems, we should learn to solve our problems.”

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