WITHIN MY MEANS

This issue of the gentleman who doesn’t know whether to move on with the girlfriend or not due to his financial situation reminds me of my own story. I dated this beautiful lady from October 2011 to December 2018, even though for most part she was a student in the university. During the relationship, everything was hand to mouth; any money I earned, we spent it all. Nothing to save. I don’t even remember a time I had about GHs 1000 on me. But we were happy together even though I could meet all her demands and desires.

Somewhere in 2017, we started talking about marriage and unfortunately, she started planning for a plush event. I requested she brings her expectations down but she really wanted the nice wedding which I knew I couldn’t afford. Anytime she attended someone’s mega wedding, she would come and talk about it gleefully for me to know she wants something similar. I thought she was alone on that thought until I met her family; they even blew my mind with their criticism of someone else’s wedding we had attended together. We began counseling and I really started feeling the ‘heat’ when we started buying items for the wedding. I just couldn’t afford. I had a deep introspection and decided to quit the relationship.

It wasn’t easy at all because we had gone far with the counseling and even bought some items and taken measurements for our rings. But I had to make that decision because I knew I couldn’t afford her expectations; I would be unfair to her. When I told her about my decision, it wasn’t easy at all for the both of us. But I had gotten to the point I had to be firm with my decision.

After a year of breaking up, I met a wife who turned everything around for me. Some people accuse me of leaving a seven-year relationship and marrying someone I met within a year. But my wife helped me within the short period to stand on my feet. Sometimes, if you love someone, you have to let the person go especially when you cannot meet the person’s expectations.

Image Credit: Mithul Varshan