Milton and Claudia have been dating for five years and were friends two years before that. He is comfortable with their relationship as it currently stands but senses a silent expectation from his girlfriend. Claudia has not been herself lately, she is aloof despite Milton’s various attempts at cheering her up. He sent her a text last night and is yet to receive a reply, never has this happened in their five years of dating.

On a train ride to the grocery store, Milton’s thoughts grow heavy. Yes, Claudia is in her mid-thirties but she is happy with our relationship as it is… Are you sure? …She mentioned that word last week but it was just in passing. Does she really want that?  These thoughts so consumed the young man that he missed his stop.

That word which Claudia mentioned last week signified bondage, it signified unhappiness. That word was Marriage! Milton never intimately experienced a home in which a happy marriage resided. He vividly remembers his parents’ arguments as a child and their subsequent divorce. As a teenager, he witnessed the yelling and name-calling that was ever so prevalent in his uncle’s home.

“Is Claudia expecting a proposal?” He cares for his girlfriend and does not want to hurt her.  In his pondering as to whether or not to propose, he raises his head involuntarily and catches a glimpse of a young woman who just came on-board the train. Every movement of this woman was noble. Her long bright green dress swayed gently as she glided across the train. In her face was an inner warmth that unconsciously made Milton tuck in his shirt. As if awoken from a dream, Milton felt free of his heavy thoughts. Without a word, this young woman on the train had done something Milton in his limited understanding could only call magic. She awoke in him the longing for something higher, for a nobler purpose.

Claudia soon noticed a change in Milton. He spoke less, there seemed to be an aura of calmness around him which gave evidence to the peaceful nature of his thoughts. She herself began to change, the nature of their conversations took on a nobler form. They talked about the purpose of life and their aspirations. Milton’s view on marriage evolved. What other purpose could there be to marriage than for a joint deepening and nurturing of high spiritual values, he wondered. Marriage took on a new meaning for the young man who was now confident that he had found a true partner in Claudia.