From a staunch spinster, to letting off myself in love

Two years since I am married.

I remember when I was 26, a beautiful young woman was addressing friends and saying how at 25, she thought she was past her "shelf life" because she wasn't married! Horror! I felt as if somebody just punched me on my face. Shelf life of a woman?

Years later, I married. At 30. Without pressure. Without gold. Without dowry. To the man I wanted. With joyous parents.

If you are not a malayalee, you might not understand my emphasis on gold. But if you are an Indian, you would understand my emphasis on dowry or expected love tokens. Or well, the lack of both of them, at my wedding. A choice I made. A choice my then-to-be-husband made. Actually, a decision both of us had taken years before - during our respective formative years. Invincible convictions.

From my wedding, which broke conventions as we danced to Pharrel Williams "Happy" (a friend's idea)- to a marriage, which has made me smile, cringe, laugh and cry. Not me alone. Us. Both of us, in equal measures.

From a young spinster, who said "I don't want to get married" ... to a woman at 30, who told parents, "I want to marry him" ... to a woman whose heart still skips a beat at her husband's smile. It's been a short journey, or so it feels. As if everything went by in fast forward mode.

To my parents credit, not once did they make me feel being spinster is life half lived. And allowed me the privilege of walking into marriage - as my own choice.

And as I wallow in my marriage - it's in a very unconventional manner. Either he is travelling, or I am travelling or we both are travelling together. People ask us how do we manage time with each other? We both look amazed at this question. No, actually, pleased at ourselves. Because, we've made every minute count and pulled all strings to spend time and days with each other. Many times, keeping to just ourselves, away from others, who also mean a lot to us.

Again. My point. As we celebrate our wedding anniversary - for me it's a celebration of what Abraham is. And what he has been to me.

As we complete two years, I realise a wrong decision, could have snuffed the life out of me. But this right one, has fueled more passion.

The two years of our marriage, is also about our parents. Rock solid. Loving. Giving. Strong. Patient. Understanding. And, forgiving.

But foremost, our marriage has been about Christ.
A personal walk of faith which has kept us together, holding each other's hand sometimes, and pushing the other at other times.

Love. I know what it feels like. More, as each day passes by.

Happy Anniversary, to us.