Committed!!

A good friend of mine is getting married. He called me yesterday and shared the news. After the call I sat in my room and went back to the days when we said things like "I will never marry" or "Marriage is not my thing" and thought about my own wedding day.  I was acutely conscious of the significance of that moment when the groom  ties the mangalsutra (aka thaali) around the bride's neck and each accept the other as partner for life. The acceptance and commitment are primarily from the heart and a wedding ceremony symbolizes the fact that one is ready to stretch beyond individual selfishness and take another being in that warm blanket of love,
makes the sense of togetherness and the big bad scary C word "commitment" authentic. We humans  have always needed symbolism and social recognition to mark accomplishment and the wedding ceremony is, in many ways, precisely such a thing. Set to the mellifluous and traditional music of the Nadhaswaram, the bride
and the groom, both clad in sacred White & Red  traditional saree and dhothi respectively, walked hand in hand around the Agni as they completed the final symbol of holy matrimony.

The couple is then blessed for a relationship that is satisfying, comforting, and precious. A relationship that is based on mutual trust and understanding; a relationship where there is much more give than take; a relationship that anchors  oneself when the disturbing waters of life test the spirit. Honestly, in the long run, it does not matter if your partner hates cricket or if you hate your partner’s sense of dressing. It does not matter if the dream world of your silly  expectations crashes down, because replacing that delicate teenage world will be the strong bond, a bridge built on companionship.

A marriage is a good thing for everyone. Though it seems like a restrictive chain for self-progress, it is one of the best ways to challenge one’s limits and to grow as a person. Some marriages start out with a delightful bang and then become a life-long whimper. Others start out on the rocks of prejudice and caution and then
settle into a steady ride on Ceat tyres. Everyones will be a unique roller coaster ride, a ride that you will have to make on your own negotiating all the fears and inner conflicts. Be adventurous and have tons of fun! You wouldn't know what marriage really means until  you stop thinking about your self and start understanding the other.