Will You Marry Me?

Posted: October 14, 2020

Because of society’s label of ‘romantic’, are we forgetting that friendships between men and women can be genuine and fulfilling?

Society’s view of male-female friendships

It is true. In India a man and woman cannot be friends. And if they are married – the Heaven’s will have to spilt open, before a normal healthy relationship between a man and a woman is accepted. I grew up in a cosmopolitan city, with open minded parents. And I thank them each and every day for helping me build a mindset that perceives humans are the way they are. There is no body part that demarcates friendship.

Growing up with male friends

Having said this, I have always had more friends of the opposite sex and the reason primarily has been that I grew up in a home of two other siblings. Between them and our Mum, neither of us ever felt any need to find another to confide it. To top it all, we had a father who was our first and closest male friend. So I have always taken relationships at face value.

My closest friend is a guy.. Man now.. And believe me, we are fiercely platonic. There is nothing that we cannot talk about. No matter how uncomfortable it may be, we always find a way to communicate. I admit, in the beginning we did have feelings for each other.. But when I look back now, I realise that they were deep rooted in friendship. Both of us are happily married and have children but the friendship we share is of utmost importance.

Why communication builds a genuine relationship

In life, I truly believe that there is only one person that can bring out the person You are meant to be and for us, its each other. A lot of misunderstandings are avoided because we take the time to talk.

We have had our fair share of ups and downs with our spouses but have survived it all. There have been vicious people, most specially women in our own friend circle that tried to malign us and even resorted to uncivil character assassinations. But as I sit here and write about it, I have the biggest smile on my face for in my heart I know we are right and in my soul, I know he will be forever by my side.

Friendship for us started when he walked up to me, at a bar, in my college days and said, ‘Will you marry me?’ A prank that has lasted us decades!

Need I say more?

Image credit- Cherylholt on Pixabay