On Marriage

They say marriage is made in heaven. But marriages can sure be kept in heaven if the couple involved and people around follow few simple rules. From my experience, I wish I can tell my family and friends these when they enter the bond of matrimony.

For the Groom:
Remember You are taking the vow to walk with this girl for the rest of your life. She has had a completely different set up, being taken care of by parents until the day she entered your life. Her expectations may be high. You cannot satisfy all of her expectations but you will not loose anything by giving her a sympathetic ear and just listening to her or agreeing with her. This way you can reduce lot of misunderstandings early on. You'll also learn to agree on things you two disagree. When it comes to family's harmony learn to give in or give up gracefully. You might have dreams. Let your dreams unfold slowly into your life, with your wife.

For the Bride:
You are thrown into a completely new set up. The carefree young girl is going to be the woman of the house. your responsibilities are boundless. You of course cannot do everything right. No one expects it of you either. Just wait, listen and do whatever you have to do in your new family. You are not expected to blend into the family immediately. Take your time, one step at a time and learn to understand and respect the differences in the new family which eventually will become yours.

For Both:

1. Always respect both the parents.
2. Never complain about one set of parents between both of you.
3. Whatever happens within the four walls of your house, stays with you. DO NOT SHARE YOUR PERSONAL DIFFERENCES, TINY FIGHTS WITH RESPECTIVE PARENTS. Because you both can forget it in next few days and continue normal life, but the information will be blown out of proportion by loving, possessive parents.
4. You can share your happy moments with parents - to give them the satisfaction that you are living happy.

For parents:
These are your children. But these are two different grown individuals. You had brought them together. Let them figure out life together. if they come to you with complaints, please tell them its their life and they have to figure out. DO not start giving out unsolicited or solicited advices to your daughter or son. if you do, you are inadvertently causing a rift between. Because as the girl's or boys parents we will only sympathise with our child, no matter what they say. So our advices can get very subjective to the extent of hurting their life of togetherness. Stay away for the whole first year and you will see them happy and together for the rest of their lives.