Christmas and my wedding!

This is the festive season. The apartment I stay, all houses that I see during my commute and even my workplace is completely embellished with flowers, lights and of course the Christmas tree. Though I don't celebrate Christmas, this whole decorations gives me a feeling as if I'm very much a part of this. And all my colleagues are busy spending their evening and weekends, shopping. They ask me ideas and I suggest them a gift or two. Most of their objective is to give their kins or friends, a big surprise. They wanna make sure it's the right gift and something their friends or kins would love. They simply wanna see the recipient happy. But the one who receives the gift wouldn't know until the gift is opened.

My parents casually ask me, if I'm ready to step into the "Marriage market". They want to see me "Settled in life". I wonder how come this word "Settled" in all Indian family lexicon means the same - "get married and have kids". I don't know how come they equate "getting married" and "Settled". For me, the word "settle" presents a different meaning altogether. I simply can't think of it as getting married, for I would still have a lot of things to do even after wedding. But when I think a little hard, I understand that "Settle" is a subjective term. And one can call themselves "settled", only if they don't have any more desires to be satiated. And i presume getting settled is more like counting till infinity once. And I tell my parents that I need some more time, maybe a year or two. They say they are absolutely okay with it. Once i give the green signal, they'll spread out my "jaadhagam" and my profile to strangers. It is more like uploading your Resume in job sites. And it doesn't stop there. I need to see the photos of those "matched" profiles and I'll have to serve as a HR guy, recruiting the right candidate. Or perhaps not to hurt "Bharathi Kanda pudhumai penngal", let me rephrase the word "Recruit" to "Merger". So, I'll have to select the right company to have a merger. And "equality of rights" is evident from the fact that rejections are likely from both the ends. All these, just by looking at something called "profile" and a "photo". I would never know who or what or how the bride would be, unless I marry her. But my parents say they would get the best(huh?) girl for me. They simply wanna see me happy.

But nobody would know unless it happens. In more ways than one, I think Christmas gifts and Arranged marriage looks the same to me

I'm yet to see both! :)