A Blind Man's Fight For His Love

 Unfortunately, we did not have much time to celebrate; Alia was going to be out of town for 'Guard School' most of the following week. Then, by the end of that week I had to leave. Robyn used the opportunity of those days Alia was out of town to officially introduce herself as my mother-in-law. Shortly after Alia left, she came downstairs to suggest we go out some day and have some talk to get to know each other. That sounded fine with me. Then she started telling me about herself. Next, she was dancing for me. I was totally confused: she was trying to seduce me. I have always found it insulting; clearly Robyn thinks men are stupid and I am no exception. But I had to be really stupid to, just married, break Alia's heart just for a 'fuck'. It was actually rather pathetic; I loved Alia and I simply had no interest in anybody else. I thought I would not react, because if I did, I could reveal some assumptions and that could eventually be used against me. It worried me...

When Alia met me, she saw the opportunity to escape from the labyrinth of drugs, depression and loneliness of her teenage years, and she fought for it fiercely.  I had just finished my Ph.D. a few years ago and was at the end of my two years bicycle tour around the American Northwest, when I first met Alia. Having lost my student status and having become ineligible for Optional Practical Training, I thought I knew my days in the U.S. were reaching their end. However, before I would leave for good, I wanted to go see the natural beauties of the American West. When I first came to the country I promised myself I would go visit Yellowstone, but, after ten years of Ph.D. studies (without a driver's license, because of my visual impairment), I had not been able to find the time and means to do it. It was an enormous effort to complete my Ph.D., but having finally succeeded, I could at least feel comfortable thinking my professional career was on the right track. I could not say the same...

Can I have a hug? "If you know anything about what it means to have someone so important in your life that you will risk everything to be with them, then maybe you can understand my dilemma.  "Our love is heard in the stories we tell and the laughs we share. Our love is imprinted in every photo we have taken together. Our love is witnessed in the sacrifices we have taken to be together.  I made many difficult choices so I could be with the man I love. My marriage was difficult before it even began. I endured intense scrutiny from my family. They all selfishly wanted me to fulfill their own desires.  When I told my parents I was getting married, both of them began a dialogue of, "She HAS to..." They were convinced that my marriage was ruining my life. Every dream I ever had was being demolished. They never considered that dreams change, or that I could still accomplish my dreams. They had forgotten that my dreams were my own. They had selfishly taken on my dreams, an...