Evolution of Emotions
It was in higher secondary
When Mills and Boon did cast its spell
Of an imaginary love,
Into which we didn’t have the courage to delve
Tall Dark and Handsome
Were the criteria then
Not many could fit
The criteria well
Those that did fit in the description
Usually did not match our imaginary vision
Studies being then the top priority
We dived into it to get rid of this insanity
We cleared the PMT in first attempt flashily
And looked towards the future anxiously
First and second years
Were lost in acclimatization
The third year marked
The re-emergence of hormonal emotions
Expectantly gazed at the other gender
As they bunked clinical postings
And hither and thither they wandered
Some found their heart throbs
When confronted with proposals
And some lost them
Courtesy, orthodox societal circles
Friendships were enjoyable
Relationships out of question
For studies remained a priority
And so were the choice of majority
A third-year proposal
Brings back the memory
To this day of the felt despair
Of someone indirectly proposing
On behalf of the other
To be confronted squarely
By my furious glare
Had always visualised
The brave knight in my dreams
Who would come straight to me
To declare his feelings
I adored the calmness
Of the person concerned
But had never visualised him
Through the eyes of a coy-eyed girl
With all his might had he come directly
Maybe the story would have taken a turn differently
In internship came the second offer
Which to me did not appear proper
As again it was an indirect one
Through a female colleague and so was shunned
She went on to add that
The person concerned
Was from the reserved category
Which made me refuse categorically
I had a very sharp picture
Of a would-be mate in my mind by then
Opposite to the fantasized
Mills and Boon one
He had to be a surgeon or a paediatrician
With a caring heart and a broad vision
Without a moustache and a beard
Had to be a wise
And had not to be a nerd
I wanted to marry within my caste
For reasons I knew not what
Luckily was blessed with a soulful mate
Who was wiser than I could ever anticipate
Since beginning, he has acted like
My foundation pillars
For our families and children
He has served as the strongest anchor
As I analyse I feel
Children should be given
Good education and full liberty
With utmost faith in their sensibility
God has his ways
Of bringing two souls together
Blessed with love then
An unknown world they discover together
And thence begins their beautiful journey
Of companionship and self discovery
Dr Archana Tandon
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