Bound to a bond
The wedding season is on. Several couples in the know are tying the knots and marking a new phase in their respective lives. Mostly young…
The wedding season is on. Several couples in the know are tying the knots and marking a new phase in their respective lives. Mostly young folks—those between 25 and 35 aren’t old — finding their footing by going ahead with quite an important decision. Chances are, the so-called society — an imaginary being to the current generation who are yet to be thoroughly vetted by a set of comfortable strangers — might have a say in the ceremonial proceedings. However, what happens during a wedding is not necessarily a precursor for what happens next.
Living alone is as natural as sleep. Getting married isn’t.
Two individuals might have different reasons for gaining the spousal tag but they better be in sync. If the reasons aren’t sound enough, any act appears to be a caricature of what it originally portends. People often forget that a marriage is not a personal institutional. It has socio-economic roots and once you enter the game, there are unwritten rules to follow. We say that everything changes after marriage. The greater truth is, we change too.
Which brings us to those who don’t want to get married as well as those who refrain from companionship. Either way, it’s a plain and simple choice. Suggesting that only those who find a partner and get hitched attain happiness is a ludicrous assumption. Life, for lack of proper clichés, is an overbearingly dull journey. Alone or together, how you spend your miles is entirely up to you. There are no set parameters in place. Yes, social contracts will force you to abide by them but then, at the end of the day, you are the one to step in or out of the club.
Sounds hopeful, right?
What’s interesting about this generation is it’s open to the challenges of creating its own rules. Not very long ago, when two individuals were boxed in by the ceremonial thread, they ended up losing their individuality. A few months following the wedding, the celebrated “good news” made the rounds. And before the couple could even realize it, the society dictated the formula on how to conduct themselves. Nowadays, we see young folks willing to draw their own conclusions on what comity means and what laxity doesn’t. In such an atmosphere, a marriage transforms in to an art form with nobody holding nobody to the sword. I don’t know whether this malleability of an age-old institution is a good sign or not but I am interested in noting how it pans out for those who are neither interested in settling down with somebody nor wish to lead themselves to the altar. Anytime soon.