At the time of the swiping culture and frivolous affairs, the old school approach to love seems to stand out with its charm. In a day and age when patience seems to be dearer and time seems to be scarce, it is heartening to see people consciously take the time to celebrate love. Valentine’s Day seems to be just that occasion.
Partners spend time together to strengthen their bond and become closer. The more time that people spend together, the more the issues come out. Recently I spoke with a Chennai-based counsellor, knows all about the things that irk couples. “I have had couples who have been disappointed with each other for not picking up subtle clues. There was one woman who expected her husband to do something specific on her birthday and was frustrated that he didn’t do the same. The man didn’t believe in such gestures and hence he reasoned he didn’t do it,” she remembers.
She has been working with couples for a few decades now and her experience makes her the ideal person to talk about the evolution of how matches are made. “In India, thankfully, marriage is still a family affair. Relatives do not just come to make an appearance but are involved in ensuring that the bride and the groom are compatible,” she reflects.
All this talk about how Valentine’s Day is a foreign concept and not in accordance with our culture is commonplace this time of the year. Many believe that the approach to marriage and relationships are changing. There is the claim that the people of the younger generation are not adjusting and are unwilling to compromise with each other. “ Well, we cannot make generalisations like that. It depends on the individuals. Some are willing to put aside their differences and pitch in- be it household chores or financially- both the man and the woman,” and so she assures that all is not wrong with the present scenario as commonly alleged.
“It is my job to interact only with the ones who have troubles. I am sure there are many more couples that make it work and have whole different sets of combinations of whatever works for them,” she concludes on a positive note.
