Today, I turned 26. And I'm getting married in a week's time. However, I'm still waiting for the cliched feeling of 'Omg, I'm getting married too soon' or 'I don't think I can do this' or something similar. Movies and buzz feed articles tell me these thoughts are perfectly normal. In fact, I remember myself sending articles on wedding jitters to a friend of mine who was getting married last year and was sightly apprehensive about the whole event.
When my friends and relatives (including some strangers) first heard about me getting married, I was confronted with a variety of interesting reactions. For some friends, I was too young to even be thinking about marriage. "Are you crazy?! You're barely 25-26." "You have the whole life ahead of you! Now is the time to party, go on solo trips, enjoy life!" For others, I was too lucky to have found myself a 'perfect catch'. "Oh wow, your life is all set!" "I'm so envious! I really hope I too settle down with a nice guy soon!" It doesn't end here. Some have gone even as far as blaming me for getting married at the 'right age' as per their parents, which in turn has resulted in their parents making examples of my brilliant decision. Not to mention the judgemental looks of some people that I met for the first and probably the last time in my life. Once in the middle of a perfectly interesting conversation with some friends of a friend, someone let slip that I'm getting married in a month. The guy that I was talking to suddenly exclaimed (and not in a good way), "You're getting married?!!!" I don't know who was more surprised, me or his girlfriend sitting next to him!
When my friends and relatives (including some strangers) first heard about me getting married, I was confronted with a variety of interesting reactions. For some friends, I was too young to even be thinking about marriage. "Are you crazy?! You're barely 25-26." "You have the whole life ahead of you! Now is the time to party, go on solo trips, enjoy life!" For others, I was too lucky to have found myself a 'perfect catch'. "Oh wow, your life is all set!" "I'm so envious! I really hope I too settle down with a nice guy soon!" It doesn't end here. Some have gone even as far as blaming me for getting married at the 'right age' as per their parents, which in turn has resulted in their parents making examples of my brilliant decision. Not to mention the judgemental looks of some people that I met for the first and probably the last time in my life. Once in the middle of a perfectly interesting conversation with some friends of a friend, someone let slip that I'm getting married in a month. The guy that I was talking to suddenly exclaimed (and not in a good way), "You're getting married?!!!" I don't know who was more surprised, me or his girlfriend sitting next to him!
I wonder what is so different about getting married, apart from the obvious of course. After months of hearing loads of comments on how my life will change for the worse or better after marriage, overly concerned words to enjoy my 'last few days of freedom', and scores of birthday wishes emphasising the special last bachelorette birthday, I still feel perfectly calm and steady. Not much changed when my boyfriend became my fiancé, and I don't think much will change when my fiancé will become my husband. At least, not where it really matters.
And that is why I know I am not marrying because its the right age, or that my parents want me to get married. I am not getting married too early or to 'settle down'. I'm getting married because I found that one person I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I don't want to waste another waking moment apart. Because with that one person, every age is the right age, every birthday is special, and every moment is a celebration of freedom.
