Thirty seven years. That’s the longest time I have spent with another human being on this planet. Imagine that! Thirty seven.

Mine had been an arranged marriage. The L&M was a total stranger to me when we met for the first time. Unlike those in the same boat from my generation, I’ll not sing paeans to arranged marriages, nor condone it as a suitable system. No way.

I believe individuals must find their partners on their own. Whether things work out or not for them, is immaterial. Sometimes it does, other times it doesn’t, that’s life. But that is no excuse for parents to hold the reins of control and foist their choice on their adult offspring. But then, that’s me.

The funny thing about arranged marriages is, you may have put in a lot of hard work to make something out of the difficult situation your elders have pushed you into in their callousness. If everything does turn out well, the elders are quick to take credit for it all. If it doesn’t, well, they always have the woman to blame. In this matter the families on either side are united, I feel.

Things worked out for us. The L&M used to be a man of few words, brusque of manner with a permanent frown on his face, and totally indifferent to animals. Now he talks, is quite cheerful and plays with kittens and dogs. I’d like to think I had something to do with the change. If you want to know the changes he has brought in me, you’ll have to ask him 😉

© Shail Mohan 2019