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Happy Anniversary, Maura. It's been three years! Wow. I think this is the first picture we have together, just the two of us. Back in 2018! Okay, I can't resist telling a story about Maura and me. It's a good one. So, most of you know me as Suraj (pronounced like "sir-idge" or "surge"). Which is totally fine. I tend to pronounce my name that way in front of anyone who isn't Indian. It's not your fault, don't feel odd! Most non-Indian people find it difficult to pronounce my name the way it is pronounced in Hindi, which is "soo-rudge" (with an "r" that is slightly flicked off the roof of your mouth). Franky, when I was growing up, people didn't even attempt to get it right. So, I introduce myself with a slightly anglicized pronunciation of my name. A few friends who know me well or who have met my family hear the Hindi pronunciation and are surprised. I explain this whole thing to them. For years, I added a joke, where I said, "You guys are good, but imagine if I have a girlfriend/wife who isn't Indian or Indian-American. My own significant other won't be able to pronounce my name!" And then I met Maura. I introduced myself as "sir-idge," like always. It would be another year and half before we started dating. Time went by. I thought about this joke I had made in the past, but felt like it would be so odd to ask Maura to change the way she said my name. I certainly didn't want to make her feel like she had done something wrong, because she hadn't. I just left it. One day, I was walking with Maura, and she looked at me and said my name PERFECTLY. As if she knew the Hindi herself. I stopped and turned to her. "Why did you say my name like that?" "Oh. I heard your family say it like that. I want to say it the way your family says it." I started to tear up. "You have no idea how much that means to me," I told her. That is one of the kindest, most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me. I love you very much, Maura! Happy Anniversary.
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