The Missing Rib

A girl in love asked her boyfriend..

Girl (g): Tell me... who do you love most in this world?

Boy (b): You, of course!

(g): In your heart, what am I to you?

(b):The boy thought for a moment and looked intentlyin her eyes and said, "You are my rib. In the Bible, it was said thatGod saw that Adam was lonely, during his sleep; God took one of Adam's riband created Eve. Every man hasbeen searching for his missing rib,only when you find the woman of yourlife; you'll no longer feel thelingering ache in your heart."

After their wedding, the couple had a sweet and happy life for awhile.However, the youthful couple began to drift apart due to the busyschedule of life and thenever-ending worries of daily problems.... their life became mundane....All the challenges posed by the harshrealities of life began to gnaw away their dreams and love for eachother... Thecouple began to have more quarrels and each quarrel became more heated..One day, after the quarrel, the girl ran out of the house.... At theopposite side of the road, she shouted, "You don't love me!"The boy hatedher childishness and out ofimpulse, retorted, "Maybe, it was a mistake for us to be together! You werenever my missing rib!"

Suddenly, she turned quiet and stood there for a long while.... Heregretted what he said but words spoken are like thrown away water, you cannever take it back. Withtears, she went home to pack her things and was determined inbreaking-up.Before she left the house, "If I'mreally not your missing rib, please let me go..... She continued, "It isless painful this way... let us goon our separate ways and search for our own partners..."

Five years went by.... He never remarried but he had tried to find outabout her life indirectly...... She had left the country and back.... Shehad married a foreigner anddivorced..... He felt anguished that she never waited for him. In the darkand lonely night, he lit his cigaretteand felt the lingering ache in his heart. He couldn't bring himself toadmit that he was missing her..One day, they finally met.... At theairport, a place where there were manyreunions and good-byes.... He was going away on a business trip. She wasstanding there alone, withjust the security door separating them. She smiled at him gently.

(b): How are you?

(g): I'm fine. How about you... Have you found your missing rib?

(b): No.

(g): I'll be flying to New York in the next flight.

(b): I'll be back in 2 weeks time. Give me a call when you areback...You know my number... Nothing has changed.With a smile, she turned around and waved good-bye.. Good-bye..... Oneweek later, he heard of her death. She had perished in New York. In the event that shocked the world..

Midnight..... Once again, he lit his cigarette..... And like before, hefelt the lingering ache in his heart.... He finally knew, she was themissing rib that he hadcarelessly broken....

Sometimes, people say things out of moments of fury..... Most often thannot, the outcome could be disastrous and detrimental.... We vent ourfrustrations 99% at our lovedones.... And even though we know that we ought to "think twice and actwisely", it's ofteneasier said than done.Things happen each day, many of which are beyond ourcontrol....

Let us treasure every moment and everyone in our lives.... If you planto just value them tomorrow,tomorow may never come... and you realize oneof them could have beenyour missing rib....