Nostalgia

The sun would set in a few minutes. I was now at the park with my grandson, Mohit, where we come here every day. We stay here till sunset after which we depart for home. My grandson loves to play on the swing and the slide. His parents, my son and daughter in law are busy with their work. So, myself and my wife chip in to help by helping our grandson to enjoy his childhood. When I'm unable to come my wife brings him to the park.

At the park my grandson Mohit loves the see saw. But for the see saw, a partner is needed to sit on the other side for the see saw to rise and fall. Lately a young girl almost my grandson's age has been visiting with her guardian who has been partnering my grandson on the see saw. At the see saw we were now having a gala time.

This quality time at the see saw with my grandson at one end and his female partner at the other end took my thoughts to many years ago. Then I was my grandson's age and my father used to bring me to the garden near our house where we stayed, and which had a similar see saw. I remember enjoying the ride on the see saw. There I met my life partner. My wife, Shila, who was few years younger to me, used to visit the same garden with her father. Our fathers were great friends and my friendship with my future wife began at the see saw. She was my partner at the other end.

This see saw ride of my grandson ushered in the feeling of nostalgia in me. Sometimes myself and my wife would jointly bring Mohit to the see saw. Then my wife and I would silently look in each other's eyes and remember our innocent childhood days that would bring smile on our lips.

Friendship with Shila my wife began here at the see saw. Our fathers had destined our meeting there every evening. Then from there our parents put us in the same school. I was one class senior to her.

Then we attended the same tuitions. Our parents were good friends, and they considered a good meeting place for themselves at our school, at the playground and then at the tuition classes. Their discussions never seemed to end be it between our fathers or between our mothers. This gave ample time to me and Shila to share our stories amongst ourselves. Although we had our own sets of friends but in the end, it was just the two of us. A strong bond developed between us and from there love blossomed.

But our marriage was not easy. From school we went to college where we parted ways. Then for many years we were not in touch with each other. I became a doctor and started my own practice. Shila had become a teacher in a college.

Shila and her family had moved to a different city. So, we were in the verge of forgetting each other. Those days there was no mobile telephony. 

Then through tryst of destiny we came in contact. Shila 's mother had come to be treated in the hospital where I worked. I was part of the team of doctors' who were treating her. At the time of her discharge, Shila came to take her home. I took this opportunity to talk to her. We exchanged our numbers which now we had as adults. It was heartening to know that we had no serious friends whom we were considering settling down with.

But our households were conservative and didn't like the idea of anything other than arranged and negotiated marriage and with lots of dowry. We both detested this.

Shila now became a vice principal in a school at a very young age and the school was in our town. So, she came back to her old place.

I got the opportunity to meet her often at the weekends. We were now serious to take our relationship to the next stage, but we didn't have the courage to disclose the facts to our families. Her family had also moved along with her back to their old house. One day, I took the courage to visit her at her home. I was given a huge welcome. But I could not sum up the courage to talk about our marriage. Shila also felt disappointed. She was now in a hurry to settle down to help her continue staying in the same town otherwise she could be transferred to another town. 

Then we decided to secretly marry. In a temple in front of our few common friends, a priest chanted mantra and married us husband and wife. Both the families came to know and distanced themselves from us. Then a lot of drama and histrionics followed, and we decided to live separately. 

For many years we were kept in wilderness from our respective families. Only after our son was born did both our families forget their grudge and rebuild the relationship. Here also nostalgia played its part as the elders seeing my son remembered me in his place and could not be so hard and keep us away.