I don't understand the concept of an arranged marriage. I mean, you meet the guy once or twice and decide that you want to spend the rest of your life with him? Look at it this way, when you go shopping for a dress, you don't just buy the first thing you see, right? You check how it fits, whether it is comfortable, whether you have accessories that go with it, how many occasions you can wear it for. You parade around in it to see if you make a statement, whether the outfit is 'YOU'. So much fuss for a dress and just one encounter is enough to make one of the most important decisions of your life? You have to try before you buy, right? You could argue that the parents have probably checked out his background, but they can't really check out his personality can they? Just because you seem compatible on paper doesn't mean that you're compatible in real life. I mean, the parents can introduce the guy to you, and you can date him for a while. Get comfortable with each other and decide whether you are right for each other. Honestly, this is a person you expect to spend the rest of your life with, it's not a spontaneous, spur of the moment decision you just jump into. It may sound insanely romantic, but it's just insane.
Wednesday, 18 May 2016
Saturday, 7 May 2016
The Dying Breed of Gentlemen
Gentlemen are a dying breed. I know I'm a feminist, but that does not mean I want men to stop being gentlemen. My grandfather is a gentleman. He waits at the door until we are backed out of the driveway, he stands up when someone walks into the room, he holds the door open. And it's not that he does it just with the ladies, he does it with everyone. Because that's what a gentleman is. He, who treats everyone with respect and honour. Not because it's the right thing to do, but because he believes that everyone deserves it. He, who calls the waiter by his name and not by clicking his fingers. He, who listens to whatever the other person says with complete concentration, without looking bored, because he is genuinely interested.
Being a gentleman is not an art. A gentleman is just a man who's gentle and kind and caring and considerate. And when did we lose sight of this?
As for me, the man I fall in love with will have some very large shoes to fill. I have had the exceptional example of my grandfather, haven't I?