Time to Settle

When you are flushing in teenage, life is an unhindered ride of thoughts and actions. The first thing that occasions itself is the affinity towards opposite sex. An 18-year old boy can’t help falling in love with a pretty damsel of his class, and the rosy world dreams follow. You also get surrounded by closer-than-life friends with whom you share your inner self. Then college happens and again a round of infatuations starts. You get firm in belief that life is all about a throwaway attitude. Ride and swim in the bewitching world– what and where are the checkpoints. Even the best of times has to come to a stop nevertheless. You pass out from College, and Work accosts you in all its fancy and glory. Realities start hitting, with their own sets of complexities and compulsions. Life is not anymore a child’s play; it is bloody taxing and engaging. You start seeing things which you never bothered to earlier. In the process, educational and professional dreams are aroused again. Studies, career, money, excellence, settled life – all become part of necessities now – a set of no-no things during earlier times. Your private space too grows. The change is mind-boggling …. all in a space of 10 years.

Then the inevitable happens. Marriage knocks on your door. The first realization that dawns on you is it is not anymore a fairytale ‘boy meets girls’ story. You cognize that it is actually meant for the rest of your life. You start thinking in terms of its suitability. You realize a pretty wife may not be the best wife. You long for someone who understands and supports you. There is no space for the frills and thrills of yesteryears. The sexual charms, however enticing, aren’t the first checkbox either. You instead wonder whether her presence will alienate your private space which never got away from you. You reason whether you will have to abandon yourself and adopt someone else post-marriage. Nevertheless you crave for that someone. ‘Plucking the stars theme for love’ still blooms, but those stars are bred on earth now. You theoretically believe in ‘all-for-you’ marriage, but also wonder whether she will the life-blood of you, as you want to be hers. Your wish list is radically changed. You again Ride and Swim, this time though in the unknown world.

What a departure from the times of yore!!!