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277 pages, Hardcover
First published March 24, 2015
Life is full of sadness. It's part of being a woman. Our lives are lived for the sake of others. Our happiness is never factored in.
Author's Note: When I was twenty-two years old, I married the love of my life. Both Pakistani-Americans raised in traditional families, our wedding was semiarranged by our parents. We met only once, surrounded by family, before getting engaged, and only a handful of times before our wedding day...
My uncle locked me in a barred room. My parents drugged me and forced me into this marriage. I didn't think anything could get worse, but today, for the first time, I know what it is like to feel completely broken.
Love is about the good moments, but it's about holding on to each other during the difficult ones too. Coming out the other side, weathered but still holding hands, isn't easy. It's the most difficult thing there can possibly be, but I know now it's the truest test of love there is. Life hasn't been easy, but it gets less painful every day, and as I look at Saif, I know that love - in its essence, at its core - is the most bittersweet thing there is.
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When I was twenty-two years old, I married the love of my life. Both Pakistani-Americans raised in traditional families, our wedding was semiarranged by our parents. We met only once, surrounded by family, before getting engaged, and only a handful of times before our wedding day.
~ Author's Note
If you or someone you know needs advice or help, please contact: The Tahirih Justice Center, Offices in Arlington, Baltimore and Houston.
~ Aisha Saeed
Oh, written in the stars
A million miles away
A message to the main, oh.
Seasons come and go
But I will never change.
And I'm on my way.
Life hasn’t been easy, but it gets less painful every day, and as I look at Saif, I know that love—in its essence, at its core—is the most bittersweet thing there is.
“Life is full of sadness. It’s part of being a woman. Our lives are lived for the sake of others. Our happiness is never factored in.”
“My mother always says when you fight destiny, destiny fights back. Some things, they're just written in the stars. You can try but you can never escape what's meant to be.”
“Love is about the good moments, but it's about holding on to each other during the difficult ones, too. Coming out on the other side, weathered but still holding hands, isn't easy. It's the most difficult thing there can possibly be, but I know now it's the truest test of love there is.”
"In my world, the leaves stay green, the same Florida heat beating down on us, day after day, year afer year. Unchanging."
"'You can choose many things,' she continues. 'You can choose what you want to be when you grow up, the types of shoes you want to buy, how long you want your hair to be. But your husband, that's different. We choose your husband for you. You understand that, right?'"
"'We raised you well?' My mother laughs. 'We can see for ourselves what a job we did. We are your parents. We love you. We want what's best for you. If we see you doing wrong, we have to stop you. Even if you hate us, and I know you do right now, one day, you will see what we did what was best for you. That is what we have always tried to do.'"
"I'm tired of always giving him these same reason. These same excuses for missing outon the important mile-stones in our lives. I swallow back tears."
"'My mother always says when you fight destiny, destiny fights back. Some things, they're just written in the stars. You can try, but you can never escape what's meant to be.'"