While the lives of celebrities sometimes inspire us, it is the lives of the non-celebrities that are truly inspirational. Take for instance, this Mumbai-based couple, who met after unforeseen circumstances changed their individual lives and brought them together!
Their's is a truly inspirational story- one that proves that friendship and compassion is above all.
This couple were recently featured in the Humans of Bombay page and rightfully so, because their story deserves an audience, who we are positive will be greatly inspired by their grit.
The beginning of their love story
"I was married to the love of my life, an army man who I had two beautiful children with. I used to be a journalist and travelled with him to the places he was posted and later took up teaching as a profession once my children were born," begins Vaishali Chandorkar Chitale, who resides in Mumbai.
"In 2000, he passed away from a brain haemorrhage and life as I knew it came to a stand still. I didn’t think I would ever love again and I was okay with that— my world narrowed down to my kids and I was happy," she shares.
But it was in 2004, that Viashali's life changed for good and brought joy and happiness back again.
The hand of fate changes everything
In 2004, Vaishali's mother came up with an idea that she wasn't prepared to go ahead with at the time, but eventually agreed.
"In 2004, my mother surfaced the idea of a re-marriage and asked me to meet someone she had in mind. I took my time and decided to meet him, if nothing to get a friend out of the situation, but when I did meet him he was so kind, compassionate and caring that I couldn’t help but meeting him multiple times," she says.
Vaishali adds that his circumstances were pretty similar to hers and even he had lost his wife. Both of them were at a critical juncture of their lives, wondering about their future.
"He had lost his wife to cancer and had three children, so we were both in the same situation — our conversations lasted for hours, because someone else was finally going through the same thing. I realised that after everything, I could still feel, and I felt for him— I fell in love again," shares the smiling Vaishali.
Even though the couple decided to marry each other, they faced several problems, especially when it came to their kids.
Continue reading how this next incident changed everything of this couple's large family and brought them even closer.
The kids took their time
While Vaishali and her husband Prashant Chitale were in love and happy with each other, their kids were not necessarily comfortable with this change.
"We got married 12 years ago and initially it took some getting used to. His children didn’t fully accept me and would call me ‘masi’ and my children called him ‘uncle,’ she explains.
But with time his kids became close to Vaishali, but one incident changed this equation forever.
"Slowly, as time went by I started becoming their friend and an incident I’ll never forget is on the day of his daughter’s wedding. Her mother- in- law asked her to start calling her ‘mom’ instead of aunty and she immediately turned back, looked at me and said, ‘you’ve been a mother to me for so many years and I’ve called you aunty— please, can I call you mom?” and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life— we had finally accepted each other," she shares.
"We have out own traditions"
Over the years, the couple has managed to forge a close friendship with each other, that has become the foundation of their relationship. But more importantly, they haven't forgotten those closes to them- their departed spouses.
"These past 12 years have been beautiful — we’ve traveled the world together and watched our family grown. We’ve also made our own customs and traditions — every year on his wife’s and my husband’s birthday we cut a cake and on both their death anniversaries we go to the temple to pay our respects," she shares.
Today, their large family is growing and has added three grandkids, making this couple even more happy.
"As a family our love has grown over 13 years with our 5 children and 3 grandchildren…we’re all going away to Lonavala this weekend…it’s going to be absolute madness! As for the two of us — we continue to be best friends and each other’s secret keepers. We also continue to date; in fact, we’re on one right now— he has a very romantic night planned ahead… I can’t wait to see what it is!” she signs off.
Read: 10 secrets to a happy marriage
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