TIME TEACHES TO LAUGH

MARRIAGE: BEGINNING OR END

One day we were invited to my uncle's house to celebrate my cousin's graduation in Medicine. We had varieties of drinks and food. People left after having food and clicking some pictures. Finally, only the close circle was left. Some ladies asked my uncle regarding her marriage. He made his statement that she just graduated, and she need some time. They were like 'God, she is already twenty-four and what are you up to?' He said nothing. People kept on asking him about her marriage and it continued even after days. Whenever we went for gatherings, I heard others discussing about her marriage. I saw my uncle replying and I saw my aunt becoming stressed.

Days later, I heard that they arranged a blind date for her. She was not prepared at all. Her family was arranging it just because they were fed up with the questions from their own relatives. That proposal was from a high society guy, and they forced her to meet him. After meeting him, she said that they were not suitable for each other. Their parents asked her the reason and she said she had nothing on her mind, but she just felt like he was not meant for her. Relatives started cooking up stories that she was in love with someone else and that is the reason for her objection in such a great proposal.

Her parents questioned her, and she cleared her part gain. They did not reply to the guy's family and just went on mute. Few days passed, and they kept on asking her reply. She stood on her point. They started arranging other blind dates for her, one after the other. She rejected twenty proposals in a row.

By that time, she was already twenty-five. Her relatives stood firm on the statement that she had someone in her heart and that is the reason for her to reject every proposal. But she kept on saying that she will keep meeting guys and once she feels like she has met her Mr. Right, she will inform them. But they partially believed it and had doubts on her. They started pressuring her, asking her to reconsider some proposals. Their relatives kept on forcing them to marry her off. Daughters were a burden to them, and her family had no nerve to object their opinion. Her mom acted as a heart patient and asked her to marry the guy she first met since that was the best option. So rich, so educated, so handsome. Everything was good in their eyes. But these materialistic things were all trivial matters to her and all she wanted was someone with the same wavelength and vibe as her. She had no sparks on meeting him. She always believed that, on seeing the guy of her dreams, she will have stars in her eyes. And all these just remained as an impossible fiction.

With pressures from all sides, she was forced to say yes to them. She knew this would not end well but she went along with them. 'This is life, not a joke,' her consciousness reminded her. But her parents were so happy that they found out the best guy for her. 'Best in what sense? Is being rich the best?' She was helpless and I felt sorry for her.

I knew she was going through so much. Her emotional stability was not good. But nobody cared. Nobody even asked her if she was okay. I talked to her many times. But she never wanted to open up to me- who was a kid then. Even her sisters were super excited on being able to be a part of a super-rich family. I wondered what made them so happy. They were acting like they just won a lottery.

Days passed and she made herself ready for the wedding. I knew that she was not sure yet. But she did not want to disappoint her parents. To them, marriage was the end- end of all burdens. But to her, marriage was the beginning- beginning of her life. She is the best daughter her parents could ask for. But her parents were not the best she could get. They did not even care about their daughter's happiness. All they cared was their name and pride. I strongly believe that she should have said 'no.' But I think, what made her agree to this is, feelings of her parents. She was afraid if something will happen to them if she disobeys them. But they were never afraid if something will happen to her if they force her. May be, they were so sure that their daughter would never hurt them. She married him. She looked happy during the rituals. I had no idea if that was a fake smile or not. Anyways, she kept on smiling and that was a beautiful day.

A month passed. Situations were not as happy as it began. Problems occurred between them. He started behaving badly and she tried to endure it. She doubted that her parents would not believe her as this marriage was not her choice. One year passed.

One day, she was admitted into a hospital. They did not reveal what really happened to her. Obvious enough. They were scared of their reputation. She was sent for counselling sessions and all. She slowly came back to her own house and never left her room for almost a year. She was gradually becoming depressed, demotivated and all. She was such a happy girl and when she became gloomy like this, it was literally a shock for everyone. Nobody knew what exactly happened with her. Her parents have not discussed the issue with anyone. May be, they realized that others' opinions do not matter anymore. They went for a divorce, and it took another two years to settle the case. He mistreated her. That was the root cause of all the issues. Her lively nature disappeared, and she really became another person. She came back to her normal sense after few years. Her parents started respecting her opinions and she again became that old happy soul.

Few years later, she got married to a doctor who was a colleague of her. She became a mom after two years and her happily ever after story blossomed. That is how life is. Sometimes we meet the wrong person at the right time and sometimes we meet the right person at the wrong time. But to meet the right person at the right time, we have to be lucky. It is okay if a marriage fails. Marriage is not the end. If love can happen twice or thrice, why not marriage? But do not simply take risks. If you are okay, just say yes. If you are not okay, just say no. It is okay to hurt others sometimes, as long as it is to protect yourself. Plus, always be bold to correct your mistakes. Because there are more important things than prestige and reputation.

Wrong decisions do not mean the end!