A Clash

A Clash

In ages before us, we see that when there was a clash of ideas, fighting ensued. Of course, in our age, that is not something that is absent. However, that is not to say that something else has been added: Awkwardness.

Said awkwardness was the result of miscommunication and keeping things to themselves, but no more. Someone, who was elderly spoke up, and his words provide a sort of relief, if not icebreaking of the atmosphere to provide a type of progress:

“Is nobody going to say it?”

The party involved looked up to the elder, who looked at everyone with an exasperated look. She made her announcement, 

“Jane and Harry, don’t beat around the bush. You’re just upset that the man your girl brought home to be her husband doesn’t fit your standards and expectations. I think he’s a brilliant young man,” She smiled at her granddaughter and the man that she brought home asking for the consent of her parents and grandmother. 

They had brushes of red, and then smiled, thanking the elder. But that didn’t mean that the clash of ideas that had occurred was solved, and the elder, Julie knew that her son and her daughter-in-law had to process it and give their consent to this marriage also. 

“So young man, I hear that you’re on your M.A. course in Pedagogy in Chicago, am I right? I heard so much from Joanna.” 

The young man looked to the elderly woman until he knew that she was merely waiting for an answer, and that she wouldn’t judge him. He smiled with a bright smile, and Joanna, his fiancé grabbed his hand, rubbing it. 

“How unexpected!” 

“Yes, and it was unexpected when they told us that he was a pastor,” Jane butted it, expressing her discontent with her daughter’s choice for a husband. 

Joanna kept quiet, knowing that this clash of ideas had for a couple of months had been going on, and hence she was tired with her mother, and her father’s antics in trying to convince them about this marriage.

“I would say that it was unexpected that you brought someone like Jane to marry, my son.” Julie shut down that argument. 

“Yeah, but look mom, at least she was in a normal family.” 

Julie, unexpecting her son’s outburst, didn’t care one bit and shouted, “You shut your mouth, son! My mother, your grandmother passed away when I was 10, and I believe that you yourself comes from a family where your father passed away when you were young.” 

Harry shut his mouth, he knew that he couldn’t win that argument, and that he had overstepped a boundary, and softly mumbled out an apology, “I’m sorry.” 

Joanna looked at her fiancé, seeing that he didn’t reassure the one apologizing, and she could understand what he was going through, even though it was her father. She gave him an apologetic look to which he smiled slightly. 

“When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and I believe that this lemonade is very delicious,” Julie smiled and knew that this couple of her granddaughter and her fiancé was a match made by God, and she knew why he swept her off her feet. Harry and Jane tried their very best to make their argument, but right now, after Harry’s outburst of family, that they had little to no ground to hold to say no to their marriage. It didn’t help in their view that Julie had sided with their daughter and her choice for a husband. 

They went through their choices, and even thought about some extremes, but knew that Julie would be at all corners, blocking them. They sighed and resigned themselves to that fate, and one had to wonder: Was this a fate that had to be bad?

Julie’s one remark, “Is nobody going to say it?” Had consequences that stretched on for magnitudes. Harry and Jane had no choice. 

They nodded, and Harry started, “Joanna, if that is what you want, then we will accept this marriage, although I’m not sure that you need our consent.” 

All the people in the room could feel the bitterness behind those last words, and Julie pinched her son and daughter-in-law’s thigh, making them wince. 

“Mom!” 

“I’m sorry, is there something wrong, son?” She said, not interested in what they were feeling, without focusing what they were thinking.

“You just pinched us!” Jane hollered, rubbing her thigh, emphasizing her pain. 

“Oops.” Julie said innocently. 

“So, is there something you have to say to Joanna and Peter?” Julie gave them a stern look. 

They sighed out, and at that point saw how their daughter was so into this man that had waltzed himself into her heart like no one that they had witnessed over the years. 

“You know, it’s not going to be easy, and we didn’t like it because you were a pastor, because it gives us the memories of pain back a couple of years ago, as I’m sure Joanna told you, but…” Harry smiled, and shrugged his shoulders. 

“That’s the reason I’m in this mess called an M.A. in Pedagogy at the University in Chicago, sir. I don’t want someone being hurt and leaving the community at all.” Peter replied with a smile. 

Harry and Jane suddenly felt relieved and were glad that their daughter had brought this great young man to be her husband. Julie, who had prepared for this after her granddaughter had announced the fact, let out a sigh of relief. She thought that they went together well and had prayed that it would be. She knew that the awkwardness would create a mood in which nothing could be done and was glad she had come for the ride this time around. 

Julie asked the couple, “Have you youngsters thought about having children?” 

She knew that it would make them flustered. She snickered at their reactions, and Jane came to their defense, “Julie, wait until they’re married!” 

Julie grinned and laid back on her chair as they were getting to know each other, at peace that the issue was settled.