I sit at the terrance with a cup of bracing hot coffee, looking at how peaceful the roads look without the traffic and listening to the mellow chirping of birds early morning.
Oh no, this is not what my life looks like.
Like any other day it's the regular routines that I have to follow, that I have been following past 12 years. And why not. Isn't that what makes me an ideal bahu, a perfect wife and a caring mother?
Hi, it's Nandini. A woman living in 21s century who is married, working and a mother of one. And this woman of the 'modern' society has something to make you realise. It's the society's paradigm, the boundaries you're surrounded by, the norms and conditions that are laid down for you since the day you're born, or even before. Here you'll be seeing sheets of rules and regulations along with the checkbox of 'agree to the terms and conditions' and to proceed further, you need to agree to it
Rule no 1: graduate from a school, go to a nearby college, get a degree and then get married to a man of your family's choice
No offence but this is what it's like growing in a typical Indian family. If you're in the marked territory of them or their forefathers you have no option but to do what they say. You're a liability to them who has to follow their dreams and strive for their happiness to stand somewhere in future. Oh, did I forget to mention? You're no more a liability for them when you're married. You're no more a responsibility because now you're assigned to take the responsibility rather than being one and then the cycle continues.
Caution: A person seen violating any of the rules can be an object of society's scorn. Just in case one decides to break the rules or chose to deny any of them, they might be considered as an outcast.
So the newbie, welcome to the world of reality
~~~
Unlike every other morning when the sun's light found it's way through the curtains to fall on my face, it wasn't the usual tantrums or cribs that I made when I woke up. It was to feeling of gratefulness for being alive.
It was when finally that I had seen Amay after four years. I couldn't stop thinking about the moment we had. How we met in my husband's office and instantly felt an unexplainable sense of connection. It all seemed like yesterday.
Suddenly my wandering in the thoughts of were broken by the ringing of the telephone and it brought me back to the reality.
Without a beat more missed I picked it.
'Good morning memesab, I cannot find the keys. Where have you kept it?' It was the gatekeeper of our bungalow looking for the keys.
'Goodmorning, did you check the hall?' I replied absent mindedly.
I didn't realise I was still recovering from my thoughts.
'I am asking about the keys of the hall only, memesahab.' He hesitated
'Uh and sorry for disturbing your sleep. ' he added
Calmy, I replied 'Okay, let me check it. I'll throw it from the balcony. And it's not like that, you're just doing your duty bhaiya'
He giggled and said good day before disconnecting.
With all these thoughts swirling around my head like a wild wind I got up from the bed and started my chores dutifully. Getting my son ready for school, making breakfast for family, running errands for them, giving essentials to my husband for office and the list goes on 24/7. I didn't realise when I became so fast it at that during the mid afternoon I was done with all the things. I made myself some tea and sat beside the window, contemplating, and trying try find answers for all the questions that present themselves in my life.
Why is perfection something every women should have? Why is this even a rule? Can't imperfections be truly accepted just the way they are acknowledged for the men? Can't imperfections be worth loving in a woman too?
I knew I didn't have answers for them. And I sure neither does google.
The entire day passed with continuing and following the further routines. I tried concentrating but I couldn't help it. I wanted to know what these spaces between seconds are called. Because that's also when I cannot stop thinking about him.
Later that night when everyone was asleep I chose to spend the time in the balcony, awake and in reverie. I couldn't stop thinking about Amay and what we had. He was to me what a stream of water is to a person who has been stranded in desert for long. He was quintessential.
And once again in the day
I begin to walk down the memory lane
Of once 'us'
YOU ARE READING
I Love You - terms and conditions apply
General Fiction"Falling in love is madness; it erupts like a volcano at once and then subsides with time easily. But being in love is like the leftovers of the love story that has already burned to ashes." A vibrant, bubbly girl Nandini Jyoshi leaves behind all h...
