Vows have hit my nerves in a huge way lately. I have been thinking and critically analysing the vows made before ‘I DO’ for instance; for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.

Those one line sentences may to some seem like just mere words but I decided to zero in on the ‘in sickness and in health’ part and went to work on its intensity and deeper meaning and in my quest for clarity, I happened to get in touch with an old friend. This is what she had to say.

She has been seeing this dude for a couple of months now and yes it has been rosy and rocky but somewhere in between, sickness struck him and kind of coincided with the ongoing lover’s spat that they were having. At that point, she had to put on her big girl shoes and rise to the occasion.

Much as they were apart, not a single day went by without her texting to find out how he was doing and every time the communication ended she felt so proud of the fact that she had put her anger and narcissistic traits behind her and reached out. 

Time healed him and the relationship progressed from where it had frozen. As we all know disaster strikes when the going is great and it surely did. Just when they decided to have a sleep over, she got a tummy bug. He ever so caringly looked after her.

Diana and I spoke for a long time and I finally got the wisdom in her tale and came to the conclusion that we may meet people from all walks of life, fall in love and vow forever to them. But before that happens, examine the ‘in sickness and in health vow’ and when you find that the person you are with will always step up when your health seems to fail then you my friend are set for life and nothing else should matter.  

Your significant other may have wealth, impeccable taste, skills, class or is connected to the crème de la crème of society but if they CANNOT stand by you ‘in sickness and in health’..........it is nothing.