Love’s Check-Out Time: None
Is there an expiration date for love? In our modern world, where the dynamics of love and marriage have evolved, it’s not uncommon to witness the rise and fall of young love. Couples meet, fall in love, and then, all too soon, part ways. This societal trend, driven by increased individualism, changing gender roles, and the prevalence of online dating, may seem disheartening. However, amidst these changes, love still finds a way to endure. It’s common to see partners part ways after the first marriage day, but it’s also common to see them find love again. While the start is always promising, fault lines develop somewhere along the way, leading to separation. Marriage is a beautiful institution; despite its challenges, love continues to thrive.
In the past, societal norms and expectations played a significant role in shaping relationships. There was no concept of love or dating before marriage. Even after marriage, the wife could not publicly hold the husband’s hand. The wife was always two steps behind the man, literally and figuratively. I remember my neighbour Reddy and his wife, Bhagyamma, attending a movie in the evening. Reddy would start half an hour early in the guise of buying the ticket, and his wife would follow after thirty minutes. There would be a distance of at least one mile between them. Reddy would take her to a restaurant, and they savoured ‘masala dosa.’ Of course, they would sit beside each other in the theatre and watch the movie. My parents managed the marriage fatigue very well, like other adults. My grandmother would give them unhappy stares when they went out for a movie together.
Today, I have seen couples living on tolerable borders. They live as roommates and friends. I know a family where the couple presents as enemies before others, but they care for and respect each other’s space and time. I have seen the husband making the morning coffee for his wife and helping his spouse iron her dresses or drying her clothes on a clothesline on the terrace. He also does some household chores, like cutting vegetables and fruits. She makes sure that she cooks his favourite items. They eat at the same time. When they travel, they always support each other with love and care. But they do not talk to each other publicly.
In a recent Bollywood movie, ‘Do Aur Do Pyaar,’ a popular romantic comedy, the daughter asks her father, a character known for his long and successful marriage, ‘Papa, what is the secret sauce of the success of your marriage of several years?’. The father, played by a veteran actor, replies with a smile, ‘Beta, it was straightforward. We showed up to each other every day, and our love endured!’. This simple yet profound statement is a testament to the enduring nature of love, inspiring us to believe in its power to withstand the test of time and societal changes.
Love has no expiration date!
