12/07/2025
"She Asked for Support, He Gave Silence. Years Later, Silence Answered Back.”
Ada is my childhood friend who was once a vibrant, ambitious woman full of dreams. Before marriage, she had plans to open a catering business, teach in her community, and even further her education. She married chinedu, a man she believed would be her partner in destiny.
In the early days of their marriage, Ada would talk passionately about her dreams. Chinedu would nod, but his words were always, “Later. Just focus on home first.” So Ada gave her all to the home. She paused her dreams for the sake of peace.
When she wanted to register for a professional course, chinedu refused. “We need that money for something else,” he said, though he had just bought a new car.
When she wanted to teach a free weekend class to young girls, he said, “What will people say? That I can’t take care of my wife so she’s looking for attention?”
Bit by bit, Ada faded. The woman who once danced while cooking now just cooked. The woman who used to dress up for joy now only dressed up for church. Her laughter became occasional. Her spark dimmed.
Years passed. Chinedu prospered in his business, won contracts, and traveled. But Ada? She was just… there. A helper, not a partner. An assistant, not a co-builder.
Then one day, Emeka fell ill. Not the kind of illness that ends quickly. He was bedridden for over a year. The contracts dried up. Friends who once hailed him disappeared.
Suddenly, he needed strength. He needed emotional support. He needed someone with vision. But Ada? She had nothing left to give. She had become a shadow of herself.
She cared for him, yes, but without warmth. She fed him, but without conversation. She stayed, but her heart had checked out years ago.
One day, she told him quietly, “I begged for your support when I had strength. I asked for your hand when I was building. You gave me silence. Now, I only have silence to return.”
Chinedu wept. Not just from the pain in his body, but from the regret that thundered in his soul. He realized too late that a woman unsupported becomes a garden untended — no matter how fertile, it cannot bloom without water.
Moral Lessons:
1. Partnership is mutual – A home thrives when both partners support each other’s growth.
2. Neglect is silent poison – When a man refuses to support his wife emotionally, mentally, financially, or spiritually, it slowly kills the bond.
3. Seasons change – Today’s strength may become tomorrow’s weakness. A wife you empower today could be your saving grace tomorrow.
4. Don’t silence her voice – A woman who is silenced too long may stop speaking even when you finally listen.
