For many years of our marriage, Kent and I read out loud to each other. Well, I read out loud to Kent, but we were reading together. We read interesting things and laughed and cried together. Then Brandt joined us. Reading out loud continued, but the books became shorter, with many more pictures, and always involved Brandt. Kent and I would fall into bed exhausted and our reading together ceased.
But I missed it! So several months ago I asked Kent if we could start up again. He thought that was a great idea, and we began again with the book above, The Marriage Bureau for Rich People. We went to bed earlier so that we could read, and we finished on a trip to Cedar City this week. I read while Kent drove. The book was so delightful it made the trip fly by. When we arrived, I had a hard time believing we had actually been in the car three hours. The book is set in Vizag, India, and is all about arranged marriages. It was funny, sweet, and touching. Lots of good advice about how to have a happy marriage, even if your spouse is chosen by your parents.
Here are some examples of that advice. I am quoting from the book.
Aruna said, "If you want a happy married life, you should notice what your wife is wearing and you should compliment her if you think it suits her."
Mr. Ali said, "If you want an even happier married life, you should compliment your wife even when you think that what she is wearing doesn't suit her." (page 131)
"Marriage is all about compromise. . . . Married life is the greatest pleasure--if you compromise; otherwise, it is hell on earth." (page 228)
As the Tirukkrual says, 'If love and virtue in the household reign, This is of life the perfect grace and gain.' (page 256)
On the way home we began a new book. Well, we restarted it. We began The World According to Bertie years ago (the last book we had started and not finished) and now we will finish.
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