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“I am still a vegetarian, you know! As a matter of fact, many people in the US are also changing their food habits and becoming vegetarians for health reasons,” he said.
The food arrived, and they ate their dinner.
“So, Roshni, we started talking about a girl for Akash bhaiya and we got interrupted. So have you started looking for a girl for him?” he asked.
“Not yet, but I will start soon. Like I said, he is ready to meet girls.”
“Yes, we were talking about his expectations, if any, so what did he say?”
“Poor guy. He has no expectations other than a simple, educated and homely girl.”
“You talked about commitment and trust; what did you say? You believe that even if Akash does not find somebody with similar interests, for example, spiritualism, they could still be happy?”
“Yes, of course!” replied Roshni.
Deepak was interested to know her comments on this; she definitely spoke very confidently and had mature ideas. “This is a very interesting topic. I’d like to hear more about your beliefs and ideas.”
“What is there to say?” she asked.
Deepak urged her to elaborate.
“When two individuals, a boy and a girl, commit to a marriage and have faith that both of them will be honest with each other and communicate openly, both will give one hundred percent effort to make it work. In the process they discover each other, understand each other, and – aah! – it is so beautiful to look for any surprises. Eventually love, friendship, care, compassion…all these kick in. Of course, initially there will be arguments or, rather, differences in opinions, but this is natural. Both of them grew up in different environments so their perceptions and beliefs are different, but with time, all this will amalgamate into ‘our’ philosophies and ‘our’ values. I think this is a wonderful experience for both of them!”
Then she looked at him. “Deepak, these don’t mean anything to you because your philosophy is different.”
Deepak acknowledged that his philosophy regarding marriage was indeed different, but now, she had changed his perceptions. “Roshni, you believe in arranged marriages, don’t you?”
“Those are the ideals I have been brought up with, so how can I think differently. Moreover, I think it is a matter of respecting your parents as well,” she said politely.
Both were almost done with their dinner
, and they waited for the waiter to bring the check.
“You entrust your parents to find you a groom or a bride, but there are failures too!” he said.
Instantly, Roshni replied, “There are failures with love marriages too! As I said before, if the girl or boy enters into a relationship with a lot of expectations or preconceived notions, there are bound to be disappointments, and if we do not have the strength and courage to face these, then failures occur.”
“Roshni, I am impressed with your thinking and attitude…very nice.”
It was about 9 p.m., and they had remained longer than expected at the restaurant. They walked back to the hotel, which was only a short distance away.
Once they reached their room, they changed into their nightclothes and sat in front of the TV, relaxing in the chairs. Roshni had her feet up and folded in an easy pose; she had her eyes closed and appeared to be in deep thought.
“Roshni, are you okay?”
Roshni opened her eyes and nodded in affirmation.
“Roshni, your thoughts regarding marriage are very mature. Do you think if boys and girls are open, ardent and diligent, marriages will be successful?” He repeated this question. He wanted to see how flexible she was if he apologized to her and wanted to continue this relationship.
“As long as the promise, dedication and honesty are there from both partners,” she replied and emphasized honesty. She wanted him to know that to build credibility and have conviction, honesty with each other was important.
“What do you mean?”
“If only one person has unwavering faith and determination, it may not be successful because one person is giving more than one hundred percent to make it work while the other, with all the preconceived notions, is always hesitant; in this case, it is a failure.”
“Do you know of any examples here?” he enquired out of curiosity.
Roshni paused for a few seconds in thought and then blurted out, “Look at us. We are a great example.”
