Pride in the Name of Love

Disclaimer: This is one of my rare cheesy, corny, super-girlish posts, so guys are forewarned to keep away. Nevertheless, I am sure all three of you will still read it and THEN pass judgmental comments like, “Women! So dumb” or more specifically, “Nefertiti! So dumb”

There is no doubt that I am a strong, straight-forward, no-nonsense girl who doesn’t take crap from anybody (not even a publisher, let alone a boss). Also I don’t like weddings, babies or gossiping. And I like sports, alcohol and most of all, SPACE.
Add to that the usual cosmopolitan argument: conventionally 'educated', IB-employed and away from home, and you would think I am devoid of any estrogen whatsoever (except that I do LOOK like a girl and I am bad at maths).

But the bitter truth is I AM a girl, a pathetically romantic one at that, who would do ANYTHING when she falls in love (EVERY BLOODY TIME)…

I would travel to the remotest corner of the world to be together: I know it’s impractical, especially in todays world where career choices force you to be flexible and I see so many couples around me living apart. My own parents have spent about a decade in different cities at different stages of their lives because both were pursuing their professional dreams. But I am old-fashioned that way and while I value my job/independence, it would never be so important that we stay apart for an indefinite period. I definitely don’t believe in the “distance makes the heart grow fonder” crap. I have to live together in the cramped one-room apartment and get on each other’s nerve to feel any fondness for the other person. In fact there was a time when I was barely six months into my first job and I had decided to give it up and become a teacher in a Tier 2 city which had no job for me…

I would not make any conditions: I always hear people explaining to me about how relationships are about making compromises, give-and-take and bargaining. And while I can argue till the end of time with a roadside shopkeeper, I can’t do that with someone I care about. Yes, I would sulk or scream, but not turn into a coalition partner who threatens to withdraw support to the Centre every time they don’t agree on something (Mamata Banerjee saved a guy’s life by not getting married). I guess after nine years of roommates/flatmates, you learn to let go of the little things and if doing laundry for one extra person or cleaning up one extra dish gives us the extra fifteen minutes, otherwise spent in arguing, I would rather do that. Let’s face it, I am good at doing laundry and washing dishes and it hardly takes any time. But of course, the line has to be drawn somewhere, like cooking, for example…

I would give till I have nothing else to offer: This is a tricky one, since it leaves you completely devastated and almost foolish, especially if the relationship does not work out. Having said that, this is also the ONLY way to do things: without expectations, without keeping scores and without asking for something in return. I can’t just make someone a part of my life and yet hold back. It remains a mystery how you can possibly be so half-hearted about something you profess to be passionate about.

One man come in the name of love…
One man come and go…
One man come here to justify…
One man to overthrow…
In the name of love!

Pride in the name of love? Not for me…