Love Actually!

It is normally believed that when you are stressed, you should do something which relaxes your mind and body. Since reading is my favourite activity, I often spend time reading books or newspapers, irrespective of my stress levels. Whenever I choose to read novels consecutively, I make it a point to read a light-hearted novel after a grave one, so that I can explore the world which can be so unforgiving and at the same time, of so much cheer and excitement. Then, one fine day as it was my turn to read a light-hearted novel, I chose to read Sudeep Nagarkar’s ‘It started with a friend request’. The book was an ideal ‘for the youth, by the youth and of the youth’. It was a love-at-first-sight story. The process of falling in love happens quickly, in less than 24 hours of meeting each other. The girl’s beauty is enough for the boy to fall head over heels in love with her. Then the book had everything what a typical romantic novel should have…. Boy’s efforts to woo her and win her heart, girl seeking attention from him every time, then a twist which tests their love for each other, so on and so forth…. Though the book was a quick-read, I felt that in a way, it did have some serious thinking to do. I felt as though the beautiful feeling called ‘love’ was quite underrated. It was as though the book gave Love a very narrow perspective. Is love all about falling for an attractive looking person? Isn’t it a beautiful realization which buds slowly and gradually, blooming into an everlasting relationship?

I was watching one of the episodes of Satyameva Jayate, which focused on the rising rape incidents in India. A married rape victim from a remote village in India, along with her husband, showed great courage to come on the show and share her torment with the viewers. In her entire struggle to punish her perpetrators, her husband firmly stood by her and bravely fought the battle for justice. I was astounded to see that. Usually we believe that people from villages are a group of people having traditional and orthodox beliefs, because most of them are not blessed with educational facilities. After watching that day’s episode of Satyameva Jayate, my opinions not only about villagers but also about love, changed. So much could be emulated from a simple villager! He truly understood what love was and hence empathized with his wife in her agony. In a society, where more than the offender, the woman is held culpable for the injustice done to her, this man showed immense audacity to challenge the squalid beliefs of the society. This case was a perfect glimpse of true love.

Often in newspapers we read cases of jilted lovers attacking their partners. Such incidents question the true meaning of love. At times, something what we think is love, is mere infatuation towards the other person. Unfortunately sometimes most of us youngsters fail to differentiate between the two, leading to heart-breaks and in extreme circumstances, to crimes. The ways in which one handles rejection from the person one loves, varies greatly. Some take it as a lesson to be a better judge of persons, learn to make wise choices in future and move on. Then there are a set of frivolous people who get into relationships ‘Just for Fun’ or ‘Timepass’, what are usually called as ‘flings’. I wonder how getting into relationships can be a pastime! Quite contrary to this, I know some people whose bond of love is very strong and are in a relationship since a long time. I admire such people for their honesty and loyalty towards each other. Most of these relationships will soon or have already materialized into marriages. 

In India, a land where arranged marriages are still preferred by many communities, there are many young couples who fall in love and dedicate their lives to be for each other in all walks of life. Irrespective whether the alliance is by love or an arranged one, what holds greater significance is the trust, respect, honesty and eternal commitment towards each other. All these concomitant values make Love an all-embracing experience. You just need to have patience like Ted Mosby from How I Met your Mother to find your ‘The One’. So let’s try to establish a bond with the most compatible person and build a bond which is as strong as Allie and Noah’s from The Notebook or that of Holly and Gerry from P.S. I Love You or Monica and Chandler from my favourite sitcom, F.R.I.E.N.D.S.