After years of waiting, the lockdown rules finally began to ease. Life slowly started to return to normal, and with that, my man applied for a two-month leave to come home and fulfill our long-awaited dream—our marriage.
I was overwhelmed with happiness. After all the struggles, I could finally see the end of our long-distance journey. I didn’t care about grand celebrations or extravagant preparations. All I wanted was to marry him and put an end to the separation that had been so hard on both of us.
As the days to his arrival approached, I was flying high with joy, dreaming of our future together. But just three days after he arrived, my happiness was overshadowed by a shocking turn of events—my brother tested positive for COVID-19.
It was like a storm had hit my life. I experienced my first true anxiety attack during this time. I couldn’t even stand still, constantly pacing and worrying about what would happen next. Questions flooded my mind: Would my marriage be postponed? Would everyone in my family be okay?
To protect me, my parents sent me to stay at a family friend’s house. They reassured me that no matter what, the wedding would still happen. Even though I was in a safe place, I couldn’t shake off the worry about my family. Then came another blow—my father also tested positive and was sent to a quarantine center.
I felt completely shattered. My panic attacks became worse, and I couldn’t eat or focus on anything. I cried constantly, missing my family and my man. It was supposed to be the happiest time of my life, but I couldn’t even bring myself to feel excited about the wedding.
With encouragement from a few close friends and loved ones, I pushed myself to keep going. I managed to do my pre-wedding photoshoot, though my heart wasn’t in it. I went wedding shopping without my parents, tears threatening to fall at every moment. I didn’t even care about making proper choices—I just went through the motions because I had to.
The days leading to the wedding felt hollow, filled with uncertainty and sadness. But in the darkest moments, I found unexpected strength. My man stood by me emotionally, reassuring me every single day that we’d get through this together. My close friends and relatives helped me with wedding preparations, lifting some of the burdens I couldn’t carry.
Despite everything, the bond between my family grew stronger. Though physically apart, we stayed connected through calls and messages. Their love and resilience gave me hope, and deep down, I knew I had to stay strong—not just for myself but for everyone who believed in me.
Slowly, I started to embrace the bittersweet reality. Even though my parents couldn’t join me for some parts of the wedding preparations, I felt their blessings with me at every step. The laughter and support of my cousins and close friends reminded me that I wasn’t alone.
Looking back, I realized that this experience, though painful, taught me the meaning of true love, resilience, and the power of support. It was far from the fairy tale I had imagined, but it was my story—a real, raw, and beautiful journey filled with love and lessons that would stay with me forever.
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