About Martin and Marijke.
They've been married for years. Elderly couple. Martin has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). He refuses to step out of his apartment. All his things are in boxes. He doesn't like the sunlight so he covers the windows up with newspapers. He cleans, a lot. He would just keep scrubbing at a place for hours until he is fully satisfied that the area is clean. He wears gloves as he refuses to have skin contact with anything.
He goes around his house in a fixed manner as to avoid making a mess or leaving prints where he knew he would have to scrub for hours later on. He counts to himself when he gets nervous. Also to stick to his routine. Like when he shaves, he knows the exact seconds before he shaves the other side of his face. He times his hand movements. When something goes wrong, he gets these panic attacks.
Marijke. She couldn't take it anymore, living with him. To always watch out for him and took care of him. So one day she decides to leave. Stayed somewhere far from him, got a job and an apartment where she allowed sunlight to stream in and she had a cat.
She called every month at first but then she realised it's because she missed him, so she stopped.
He, missed her so much. He thinks about her all the time. He googled maps and asks himself ''If I were her, where would I live?'' .. and marks the places. He tried searching for her number or details..online of course. But he couldn't find her.
After more than a year of not seeing her, he started taking pills (because Julia..oh well, not important)..well yeah, Treatment pills. Now, this is hard for him because part of the disorder is refusing the treatment. But he took them.
And he started practicing.
He took off the newspapers on the window for the sunlight.
He stood at his doorway and looked down at the stairs, trying very hard to walk down, but he couldn't.
But one day he made up his mind. That he was going to find her.
He packed his things.
And off her went.
He forced himself down the stairs and out of the apartment.
When his taxi arrived, he went in and came back out breathing heavily. He was not used to it and he could feel his panic attack drawing close. After a few try, he made it in.
After the taxi, he took the train.
Then the bus.
Then another taxi.
He went pass borders.
5 hours journey.
To her place.
When he reached there, he practically ran up to her apartment, wanting to get in as fast as possible.
But once there, he realised she was not in.
He started having his panic attacks.
She came back from cycling and saw her Martin there at her doorstep, gasping for air.
She ran up to him, worried.
But he smiled and said ''I came to you, Marijke. I came to you.''
And then, she knew he loved her. Very much.
Marijke : Come on in Martin, it's getting late.
Martin : Let's have dinner.
Marijke : Sure..I'll just -
Martin : Outside. Let's eat out.
And I just couldn't stop marveling at the beauty of it. For us, it would seem easy, buses and trains.. but for him, it was like fighting dragons and dinosaurs.
But he did it. He braved through all his fears to get to her.
For all those times he had hurt her because of his OCD. The pain she had to go through for more than 30 years of taking care of him and not being happy at that.
She left thinking he wouldn't change.
But he did. And she didn't ask that of him.
Sometimes I think people hurt you not because they don't love you. It's because they don't know HOW to love you the way you want them to.
Martin & Marijke.
Sweetness. :)
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