Heart Breaking Christmas Story

I received a call from a friend on Christmas day. I was already asleep when the phone rang. She was in a pub somewhere -- nursing her broken heart - on Christmas day (did I say that already?). She said that after about a year of being together, he decided to call it quits -- on Christmas day! I asked if she was okay and if there is someone with her now (she's bound to make bad decisions when she's gorging on alcohol). She said it doesn't matter because she's sober and intends to go home to her mom's house. She also added that her boyfriend is marrying someone else -- someone who his family had arranged for him.

That was a bummer because nobody gets dumped on Christmas!

A few months ago, when I was introduced to her and her (ex-) boyfriend (who is in the military, by the way), they were planning to have the wedding set on February 14. It will be a love marriage. They met when she was working in Bangalore, and he was stationed there. The guy seemed nice and seemed sincere. He was a gentleman and my friend was gushing all over him.

And so it was that this fairy tale of a love affair in traditional India ends.

I didn't sleep well not because I feel sorry for my friend (I do! I do!), but because in these modern times, half of the world is still bound on traditions. I have nothing against traditions, in fact I love them. I believe that it should be followed for this not only gives us the cultural identity, but it makes draws us closer to our comfort zones. I guess you could say that I am a modern guy with deeply rooted traditional values. At my age, I still mano to my grandparents.

However, when it comes to love, I believe that it should be an individual choice. My mother will not be sleeping with whomever I choose, nor will she have any say in my daily life as a married (or partnered) man. I am lucky to have been born and brought up in a society where the freedom of choice is both a right and a privilege. How many people in this world were given this chance?

I can only feel bad for my friend. I know that she will survive this. She is beautiful and intelligent and kind and successful. She may not belong to the same caste system as this guy is, but she will definitely rise above them all.

I wish, in closing, for women all over the world to have the courage to overcome all circumstances, the freedom to choose and the will to persevere.

Christmas chibai!