All my life, I had my thoughts on the kind of relationship I want to be in and the person I want to share my life with. In the search for such a person in an arranged marriage scenario, I was quite clear on whom I did not want. Knowing what you do not want is the first step in meeting whom you really want to spend life with.
I had my notions in an arranged marriage that I would need to really meet the person multiple times to take things forward. I had said it to a few people I was talking to in the process, that I will need a lot of time to be really 'sure.' All these changed miraculously when I met Ashika. April 3rd, 2021 we started texting and April 10th we met for the first time. The first meet was so peaceful and beautiful. The first date went on for 4.5 hours and by the end of it, something had changed.
She had made up her mind after that date. I took some more time bugging her, asking her the right questions, discussing on the non negotiables, talking over weekend for 6 hours straight and smiling all through texting her from office. We did not meet again. It was the second wave of COVID and more importantly there was no need to meet again. The decision was made. I proposed to her on May 9th, 2021. The next time we met was on the day our parents met to discuss about the marriage.
So when the right person comes in, a lot of things change. We met just once before saying yes and that one date did it all.
Two years to the first time we met :)
