DAY 244 (For all the better halves...)

I hear married people cracking spouse jokes all the time. Especially when they are not with their spouse. Even more especially if their marriage has crossed a decade.

In Office:
Bachelor Employee: Hey let's go to food court today. We will have some butter chicken.
Married Employee: Wife has given me dabba (lunchbox) dude. If it's not empty when I reach home, I will have to listen to taunts till the entire week.
(Both laugh hysterically)

Bachelor Employee: Hey I have got sweets from my native!
Married Employee: Hey are you happy or are you married?
(Whole row of cubicle roar with laughter)

In a Mall:
Bachelor Dude 1: Hey Dude, how come you got time on this weekend to meet me?
Married Dude 2: Wife finally gone to her parents house yaar. I told her I will be very busy whole week. Let us bunk office and plan a trip.
(Wink Wink from both ends)

In a restaurant:
Gossip Queen 1: Kitty party next weekend?
Gossip Queen 2: Oh my God! You are free this weekend?? How come?
Gossip Queen 1: Finally, my husband is going out of station. What a relief!!
(And they both give each other smiles and consoling pats)

So I am married too, More than a year now, but I can't relate to any of these jokes or be a part of it. If people see that, they say oh..new marriage right? Over the years you will know. It is all rosy in this phase. I just sigh.
That same evening, I am going back home by cab instead of my husband coming to pick me up. Someone comments "So, your marriage went old finally! Husband would have said you come on your own, why waste time in me coming to pick you."
Well how can my marriage get old in 8 hours? And why can't there be logical and obvious reasons for my husband not coming to pick me up? For example, maybe he has work in office unlike the colleagues who are commenting on me!

On one hand they say, marriage is about respect. If you lose respect it is compromise. And no relation can withhold itself on mere compromise.

So, is mocking on your spouse behind your spouse back keeps the respect intact? It just falls under healthy regular humour? If so, why don't you crack the same jokes with them and at them too? Please don't answer because they will over-react. Because it is not over-reaction, it is an expected normal reaction from a human being when he is being mocked at for no good reason.

Marriage can never be just about having a honeymoon period, becoming parents and then laugh at each other for the rest of your lives. It was and will always be love and respect. Your spouse is your best friend for the rest of your life. Not because he/she is imposed to be your best friend by your family or friends but because they have given the rest of their lives to you sharing every minute detail of their breath.

It is not a relation to be indebted to. It is a bond which has an equal balance at both ends. He loves you always. So does she. You have seen and lived with each other in your worst of times. Respect those times by doing the least of not mocking at them. And no, I am not saying all this because my marriage is new and I am not in "that phase" yet. But because I will never be in that phase.

Dedicated to my best friend and life-partner. And to all those couples who still keep my faith on the sanctity of marriage and purity of love.