Hind Khettouch
Stronger Together
This is the story of an old rich man’s last will.
The old man was ill and despite all his money, he could not escape death. When he understood that the end was near, he called his son to his side.
“I am leaving you a lot of money, you must guard against those who are untrue.
“رد بالك اولدي. جواج ليلة تدبيرو عام”
When you decide it is time to marry, go to my friend, he will tell you how to make sure your bride is the right one for you.”
The young man promised to respect his father’s will.
.”رتاح ابّا. مايكون غير خاطرك”
Time passed, and the man met a woman he liked and loved. When they decided to get married the young man went to meet his father’s friend to seek advice.
He met him with a large smile and open arms:
“مرحبا بولد العزيز. اش جابك ليوم؟”
The young man said:
“I have found a good woman. She is wise and trustworthy. We love each other but I have promised my late father to come see you before my wedding. Now, I need your blessing and I need you to tell me if she is the one God has chosen for me.”
The father’s friend said:
“لله يرضي عليك,جيتي على الوصية ديال المرحوم”
“In order to discover whether this woman is the right one for you, you must go to her room tonight. You will find a stone outside her door. If you can move the stone, you’ll know that she is the chosen one. If you fail to move the stone, you must leave her forever.”
The young man found this advice disturbing but he had to honor his promise.
That night, the young man went to his fiancee’s door, and from inside he heard her sing a beautiful song that reminded him of his childhood. His heart raced with happiness as he reached down to move the stone. He was about to marry the woman he loved!
The stone was neither too large nor too heavy, but as hard as he tried he could not budge it, not even a centimetre.
The door remained closed.
This incident was a shock to him. He was not sure she was the right one for him anymore. After the wedding was called off, the young woman asked for an explanation.
She did not like what the young man told her, to say the least. She screamed at him:
“حسبي الله ونعم الوكيل”
The father’s friend promised to help him find someone else. Once again a wedding date was set after the young man met the woman his father’s friend had recommended.
Once more the father’s friend told the young man what he had to do:
“There will be a stone outside her door. If you can move it, you will know this is the right woman for you.”
And once more the young man approached the young woman’s door hoping to move the stone. From inside he once again heard the song of his childhood, but this time it was a harp playing it. The beautiful rhythm filled his heart with joy.
He reached down to move the stone. Once again, he could not move it.
The door remained closed.
He had to break up with the young woman again and cancel the wedding.
Everyone in the city had heard about the misadventures of the young man and most single women didn’t even want to meet him anymore.
“هداك مافيه تقة, غير تاتفلّة”
Still, a few months after his second engagement and for the third time, the young man met another young woman. He was kind of discouraged but he decided to give it another try.
The woman was once again smart, wise and beautiful but what if he could not move the stone again?
“This is the last time! If I am unable to move the stone I will live alone!” he said to his father’s friend.
That night he moved slowly toward the fiancee’s room. His head was full of negative thoughts and unconsciously he was preparing himself for another disappointment, another heartbreak …
From inside he once again heard the young woman sing the song of his childhood. The song that reminded him of his late mother, his childhood friends and how much he had enjoyed those days.
He reached down to move the stone and once again he could not budge it.
He was so disappointed, tears welled up in his eyes. As he was about the cry, the woman heard noise outside and came out of her room.
“Oh what’s this stone? Is it yours? Are you trying to move it?” She said
“بلّاتي نعاونك”
She reached down to the stone and asked him to help and together they easily moved the stone.
“You are the one for me!”
“Maybe I am! But I am also here to show you the truth you have refused to see so far!
“جواج ليلة تدبيرو عام”
Finding love is important but not enough. When you fall in love, your lover needs to also be your partner: Someone who teaches you about yourself, never holds you back and always has your back. Together you can carry and move any stone blocking you away.”
