The Hard Shell
Mr. Praise Collins bought a Car from the proceeds of his business as a spare parts dealer - Like his business, his car was also like a spare part.
It broke down more times than he could count. Mrs. Peace Collins — always insisted she would ride in his car every morning on her way to work. She worked as an Audit trainee and her workplace was on the way to his shop.
Initially he told her to take a tricycle to work as it would be faster and less worrisome. She declined. She arrived work late many mornings because her husband's car broke down and she refused to leave until it was working again.
She would do anything required or not of her while with her husband when his car broke down - Fetch water for the radiator, join others to push the car, roll the spare tire to get it pumped.
When the condition of the car got worse and it broke down almost everyday, other women advised her to try other options, she would always tell them, I will stand by my Husband, but thank you for stopping by. It earned her a reputation.
As God would have it, the spare parts business boomed and Mr. Collins fortune changed. Life smiled on them and they had the best of it for 26 years.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Collins fell sick six months to her 50th Birthday and the doctors concluded after a series of tests that she wouldn't mark the birthday because her vital organs were shutting down. They gathered to advise Mr. Collins to give up on her and move on. He told them, I will stand by my Wife, but thank you for stopping by.
He stood with her in prayers and in care, he left his business to sit by her side everyday, feeding her and doing all that was required of him or not. A week to her birthday, she broke out in a cold sweat and her unknown illness was over.
Take home: Your love is incomplete if you are not tough enough like the husk of the coconut - protecting the internals from harsh conditions. When it's rough, your love must be unyielding, nothing must be able to pierce through the thick skin of kindness that surrounds your home, your family and your union.
Stand by those you love, be the hardest shell.
Well love is amazing, most times love is tested in the most difficult situation.. the ability to hold on and understand people's weakness and strength.