In my community, arranged marriages are common, and two and a half years ago, I entered one myself. I met my husband through family, and after just two months of getting to know each other, I realized he was kind, respectful, and shared my values. We married three months after meeting, and soon after, we found out we were expecting—a surprise that filled us both with happiness.

When I became pregnant, my husband took a three-year leave from his job at his father’s company to support me. He cooked, cleaned, ran baths, and listened to me every day, making sure I felt loved and secure. Our daughter is now seven months old, and she has brought immense joy to our family—my husband and I are completely devoted to her and to each other.

Recently, at a large family gathering at my in-laws’ home, I noticed my husband had been gone for a while and went to look for him. I found him in the backyard, speaking emotionally to his parents, crying as he told them how waking up to me and our baby fills him with indescribable joy and thanking them for arranging our marriage. Hearing his heartfelt words brought me to tears.

I didn’t interrupt him that day, but it made me realize just how lucky I am. Inspired by Reddit users who encouraged me to express my love more openly, I later surprised him with his favorite meal, decorations, and balloons saying “I love you.” Our marriage may have been arranged, but the love we share now is deeply real and something I treasure more each day.