Parental Consent

I’ve been dating a guy, on and off, for the last 6 years. We broke up several times, probably because we didn’t think there was a chance for marriage. But then last year, he decided to take the step. He told his parents and they flat out refused. Now, we both come from cultures where get your parent’s approval is an absolute must. And his parents just won’t approve.

It’s not the first time his parents have done this to him. But there wasn’t much of a relationship the previous time. This time it’s different. We’ve been together for so long and just him taking a step should be enough to tell them how much he wants this. But it doesn’t seem to matter to them. And what’s worse is, his siblings are siding with them.

What strikes me as most silly is that they have never even met me. They are denying him a chance at happiness because I don’t fit their profile. They don’t seem to want to acknowledge that their son may have made the right choice. They don’t even care that their son is doing the right thing, marrying a girl he’s been with for over 6 years.

It really is unfair for his parents to not put his happiness before their baseless dislike of me. For them to object so strongly on no grounds shows how selfish and uncaring they are. I know I am simply basing my judgement on their actions, but I can’t help but feel resentment. They are causing both of us a lot of pain.

I’m a parent myself, and I wonder what I would do if I was in that situation. What if I didn’t like the person my daughter wanted to marry? Would I forbid her from marrying him? I don’t know. I can only hope that I raise my daughter to choose the right person. And even if he’s the wrong person, I hope I can raise her strong enough to understand that and make the right choice.