1986 was a year that will change my life forever, sitting outside on one summer's day a flash of beauty just passed me by her name was Zia, now this was love at 1st sight, gasping for breath I tried to get control of my self.

This moment was going to change my life forever.

From the moment I looked into her eyes, I knew she is the one, the one I would spend the rest of my life with, until my time was done.

I was lucky enough that soon someone suggested a night out. I at the time was ecstatic as my only wish that she would hopefully be there. I was even more thrown over board when I heard she would beThe few hours I had to wait felt like a few days, wow the time has arrived to fetch her. She gets into the vehicle and we are on a night out to remember

I can't stop keeping my eyes off her I try to hold her and she is abit defensive at first.

The evening is the most romantic as you could get a full moon with the backdrop of lovely mountains I start to talk her and hold her hands. She gives in and we hold hands. This was the softest hands I have ever held in my life. I just could not let go from that moment forward.

We walked around holding hands very discreetly my heart pounding away as I have never felt like this for anyone in my life; I was shocked at the way my heart was pounding.

This was the first time I had all these emotions, where just new to me.

This was the night where the grass was green; this was the night where the moon lit so bright. This was the night of discovery. The night of recovery... This was the night of a new love the night where we became one.

We walked and let out some very inner feelings the evening felt too short ,she turns around and we are alone ,I put my arms around her I feel her soft gentle lips on mines and this is my first kiss. I kiss her passionately as I have never kissed anyone like this before. I felt abit embarrassed, did I kiss her correctly or did I look so stupid. For me this was the kiss of a lifetime. From that moment forward all I could do is only think about my love.I count not eat sleep or do anything without thoughts of her on my mind.This was the start of a relationship that would last for eternity.

I get home all flushed ,excited ,with butterflies in my tummy not knowing what was actually happening to me ,I asked is this love what is this I cant breath ,Oh god help me make sense of what is going on in my heart. My parents where taken back with me asking me if I was sick or was something wrong as I was too occupied with her on my mind and not saying much.

We spent days and nights on the phone even sleeping on the phone this love far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Within 5 months by parents moved near her family which took me miles away from my sweetheart.

We got to live near some of her family which I got to know very well and spent allot of time around them Zia would come down on holidays which was brilliant. Everything between her family and I seemed perfect as could be. We would meet discreetly from the family until we both felt we where ready for marriage. We by now have been going out for 3 years the love just got stronger with every day.

First we both come from Indian families' culture religion plays a major part in our families. Culturally & religiously what we have been doing would have been deemed in correct. Having a romance like we have was taboo at the time. Our long distance relationship went on for years with me traveling to her on every opportunity I received. The feeling of being loved giving her every attention I could give from my body heart and soul. We lied hid and did anything possible to get every moment together we could manage.

By now we could not keep our hands off each other and being a part for anytime was something neither she nor I could handle anymore. Well she and I both decided that it was time we spoke to the family as they know me so well over the years and there really should be no problems if my parents asked for her hand in marriage. I was lucky as my parents where very liberal so it was much easier for me to talk to them.

We have a family meeting with my parents and my sister I make my intentions known and confess my love for the woman I love and I asked them to please ask her parents for her hand in marriage.Her dad passed away so her uncles and mother needed to be consulted, this is the cultural way of how things should be done.

My parents set up a meeting with her family and I have been asked to be present at the discussion.The day comes when we go and we ask for her hand in marriage,

I feel a very uncomfortable when we enter but play that down to me just being nervous. We take a seat and great everyone, as we are all familiar with each other. One of her uncle's is an Accountant and he asks me a few questions. General questions which I answered to the best of my ability.

I start to sense or get the feeling that somehow things have changed overnight, they are asking me questions as if they never new me. It was a scary feeling.

One of the questions was how I would look after his niece as I have no qualifications because I have left school early to help my dad when he got ill.My dad and I both suggested that he has a business and I would run that business which eventually I would inheritHe did not seem very impressed with that answer.He said to me he has high hopes for his niece he would prefer someone more professional and would some qualifications someone like a Doctor or Lawyer even an Accountant.

Businessman or self-employed was not very professional in his eyes so I got the feeling. He also asked how much money I have. At this point being young and naive I was getting very upset as I got the impression that I was in the bank applying for a mortgage. I kept my cool and listen carefully to everything they had to say. By this time I realized that her family did not approve of me, shocking as it was to realize it sure was the truth. He went on to say to me that without a profession or a degree life would be very difficult for me, I even offered to study thinking this would please him.

Harsh and it hurt to bits what I was hearing worst was that I am not going to have the woman I love more than life. The normal situation when you ask someone's hand in marriage they have a few days to come back to you. So we where told they will let us know.