“Marriage is not about never arguing, it is about never walking away.”
The first time Mr Terlok Nath and Madam Satya Sharma saw each other, it was not across a crowded room or at a family gathering, it was through a photograph. Theirs was an arranged marriage, nurtured not by daily meetings, but by handwritten letters that travelled across borders. She was a young teacher in Malaysia. He was an army officer in Singapore. Between ink and paper, affection slowly bloomed.
Through those letters, they shared their hopes, values and quiet dreams. Madam Satya remembers that she had always imagined marrying a man in uniform someone dignified, disciplined and clean-shaven. Life, in its gentle way, granted her wish. Mr Nath, with his trademark humour, often says, “If I’m the captain, she’s the general,” a reflection of the respect and partnership that has defined their marriage.
They were married in Kuala Lumpur in December 1969, beginning their journey together with faith and optimism. Soon after, they returned to Singapore only to be welcomed by severe floods. Roads were submerged, vehicles stood still, and uncertainty lingered in the air. Yet, even in those early challenges, they faced life side by side, learning that marriage was not about perfect beginnings, but about steady companionship.
In 1976, they became among the pioneer residents of Marine Parade, building not just a home but a life. Within those walls, they raised two sons, sharing responsibilities, laughter and occasional disagreements, the ordinary threads that weave an extraordinary marriage.
Mr Nath often jokes about their dynamic. When asked if his wife scolds him, he laughs heartily. “Of course she scolds me, she even beats me up!” he says playfully. But behind the humour lies tenderness. To him, her scolding is “music to my ears,” and her mock beatings feel like “a massage.” It is his way of saying that even their quarrels are wrapped in affection.
After 56 years of marriage, their love has matured into something deeper than romance, it is companionship, resilience and quiet understanding. They have two children and five grandchildren, a living testament to the life they built from a single photograph and a handful of letters.
“Love does not always begin with sparks. Sometimes it begins with patience.”
Today, as they walk through their Marine Parade neighbourhood, their story reminds us that love does not always begin with fireworks. Sometimes, it begins with patience, trust and words written from the heart and grows into a lifetime of devotion.
Source / Image Credit : StraitsTimes
