Chapter 1 - The Train & The Secret
Celebrating February 14th always feels a bit special when
you’re with your person.
I remember it like it was yesterday—exactly XX years ago,
Valentine’s Day 20XX on a Saturday. My "special friend" (read:
boyfriend) called to tell me a friend of his was traveling from Pune and was
carrying a gift for me given by HIM. I had to head to Pune Railway Station to
collect it. Just to remind the Gen-Z crowd: back then, there was no Zepto, no
Dunzo, and online shopping was basically a myth!
Chapter 2 - The Mission: Impossible
He SMS-ed me the train and coach number (remember when an
STD call cost ₹3.50 per minute and smartphones didn't exist?). Since we were
long-distance and I was technically "free," I’d already agreed to a
12 PM movie with my single friends. I figured I’d pull off a secret mission:
intercept the gift at 8:15 AM, exchange my gift for his, and make it to the theatre
without anyone knowing.
I zoomed to the station on my scooty pep, running late as
usual. I sprinted toward Platform #1, but as I reached, my heart sank. The
train was already pulling out. I felt like Kajol in DDLJ, ready to
chase the carriage, but I couldn't even tell which coach was which. There was
no Shahrukh Khan hanging out of the door with an outstretched hand. Just..me
standing there totally blank.
Chapter 3 - The Cinematic Plot Twist
Devastated and teary-eyed, I called my "secret
friend." "I missed the gift," I sniffled. "What do I do
now?" He calmly replied, "Don't worry, I’ll come to collect it
myself." "When?" I asked, confused. "How about right
now?" I thought he was just being "filmy" until he said, "Turn
around" / "Palat"
And there he was. Time stopped, the station noise faded, and
I ran to my real-life SRK! My first Valentine’s Day ended with a surprise visit
and a very "sick" phone call to my office friends. I’m still not sure
if they sold my movie ticket in the black market, but I was too happy to care!
XX Years Later: Same Platform, but A New Chapter
Today, February 14, 2026, is another Saturday. I’m standing
on that very same Platform #1, watching the years flash by. The love hasn't
just stayed fresh; it has matured.
Today, I’m not chasing a train; I’m waving goodbye to my
husband and mother-in-law as they head to the hometown for some family marriage.
As he stands at the carriage door, I realize my "secret friend" is
now my partner in everything.
What Love Looks Like Now
To me, love isn't a long Facebook post or a filtered selfie. It’s in the quiet, daily rhythms:
- My love is cooking new dish and waiting for his verdict. Still feels like a
child if he likes it.
- His love is ensuring my bag is packed with fruits, curd, and nuts so I eat healthy.
- It’s the long evening walks where he guides my career and we discuss life.
- It’s
him ordering things I need before I even realize I need them.
- It’s him taking me shopping even when it’s his birthday!
It’s about moving through life’s responsibilities without
keeping score.
यापेक्षा प्रेमाची वेगळी व्याख्या तरी काय असावी...
कधी मनमोकळ्या गप्पा, तर कधी गोड रुसवे-फुगवे; पण एकमेकांचा हात घट्ट धरून, संसाराचा हा गाडा आनंदाने ओढणं, हेच खरं प्रेम नाही का?
वर्षं बदलली, काळ बदलला... पण आमच्या जोडीतली तीच ओढ आणि प्रेमातली तीच गोडी आजही कायम आहे, आणि कायम राहील!
No comments:
Post a Comment