UNLOVING THE LOVED ONES - 1

 The one who sits on the pedestal of the loving world finds it very difficult when the one assuring him or her of love forever starts moving away. He or she finds it hard to breathe without the love and kindness he or she is accustomed to for ages.

Such was the feeling of Ridhika. She always had her mother to love her infinitely, but suddenly, when her mother died, she was lost. She was in a dilemma about whether to trust anyone. In fact, she could not even decide whom to marry, as arranged marriage seemed to be unreliable to her. “What if the person whom she would marry is found to be a fraudster? What if she becomes the victim of domestic violence?” All these speculations led her to the world of uncertainties, and she became more and more fragile emotionally.  

On the other hand, the matches brought by her aunts found her very timid, nervous, and insecure. They, too, wanted a woman who would be confident and reliable enough to be their life partners. They were unsure after meeting her and would decline a second meeting sometimes blatantly. Among them, Shishir was the only one who wanted to know her more and the hidden fear within Ridhika, and he proposed meeting her again.

At their second meeting, he started talking to her about her life and her insecurities. He had seen her in her office before they had met. She was so different there, a confident woman who would win the world at a go. But what is wrong with her now? So, he wanted to meet her again. She was initially very apprehensive and was talking very little, only in a few words. He did not pressure her much. The meeting ended with hope for the future, as she proposed to meet him after a week.

The third meeting was much better than the previous ones. She was talking more and was not hiding her real self. She talked about her fears and her expectations from her life partner. Shishir, too, talked about his. After two more meetings, they realized they could be friends rather than be in a romantic relationship. Their wants were different from their life partners', and tying themselves to such expectations would make them unbearable, and they would eventually lose the special bond of friendship too.

It was through Shishir that Ridhika met Anand. He was the one she had always longed for in her life. It was the second meeting; she realized she was deeply in love with him and could marry him.  Shishir was the cupid.

They both got married. And then …