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Ramblings
Hopes
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Time goes fast,
very fast. But as it passes, it teaches many things to us, it makes us
experienced with different situations of life. I still remember my
childhood friend Ronak. We used to study together in small village of
India. His parents were teacher and we used to study in the same
school. He was very innocent and loving boy. He had great influence on
the other students, as his parents were teacher. He used to go their
houses and used to eat whatever they had! But as soon as he grew
enough to understand the meaning of friendship, suddenly his friends
started to disappear! He used to ask, "What happened to Rohit?” "Where
is Kamal, is he sick?” After asking to many other friends he came to
know that they started working. First time in life he felt bad about
his friends.
But as his parents were teacher, his life didn't stop there. He grew
and then he went to big town for further study. Fortunately he got
admission in Engineering. One day he found one girl, Reshma. She was
very cute and used to study in his class. They became really good
friend and started loving each other. Ronak was sure that his parents
will not have problems with his marriage with Reshma as she is really
good girl. He thought that his parents were enough educated for that.
One day suddenly he was invited by his parents to talk about his
marriage. He started thinking and then finally decided to tell
everything to his parents. He wrote a letter to his parents in which
he mentioned everything about his relationship with Reshma. When he
reached home his parents started talking. They said, "If you marry
Reshma, then what about us? What about society? What people will say?”
Ronak tried to explain them that Reshma was really good girl and his
parents were also good and had respect in society. They said, "that's
not our society and we have to give answer to our society!” His
parents started crying and arguing about whatever they did for him!
They said that they gave him whatever he wanted but in this case he
would have to marry in society otherwise they will suicide. They gave
him bunch of warnings. Ronak did not understand what to do. He started
thinking and decided to oppose the society. In the morning Ronak said
to his parents that he would marry Reshma in any case. Then his
parents started crying. His relatives were invited to talk about that.
They all forced Ronak to marry in the society. They all gave him
warning about people of society. They said, "you will live outside but
what about your parents, what people of this society will think about
your parents?"
Ronak's society was located in 52 villages located in small area. The
people of that society were selfish. They could not bear happiness of
other people. They always tried to break marriages. As long as I
remember, they had shortage of girls in their society. Because of that
Ronak's cousin could not find a girl in society. But Ronak was
studying in Engineering so many people were asking for him. People
used to give money to girl's father for marriage of their own son.
Girl's parents used to ask lots of money for their daughter! That was
pure business. But Ronak's parents were not worried about those things
as many people were asking for his son. So they used to feel proud for
him. But now there were afraid about Ronak. If Ronak would marry
Reshma then they would loose the respect of society for them. And they
didn't want that. I remember Ronak were crying while saying me, "I
haven't eaten anything for three days!” He had decided strongly that
he would not marry any other girl. His relatives used to come everyday
to explain him the importance of society. Everybody was forcing him to
marry and respect his parent’s feelings. But Ronak was firm about his
decision. Finally his parents took a chance. Ronak's younger brother
had little effect of polio. So he could not walk as good as normal
people. They said if you would marry in other society then who would
marry to your brother. Ronak said," try to find a girl for him, I will
wait until he is married.” Ronak went back to school. He worked hard
and got admission in one good university of USA. He got visa because
of his excellent academic result and good university.
Now he is in USA and working hard for his career. He has hopes that
his parents will find a girl for his brother so that he will be able
to marry Reshma. Reshma has hopes that someday Ronak will come back to
marry her. Ronak's parents have hopes that Ronak will come back and
will marry in society. And I still don't know what god has decided for
Ronak. Let us hope for his great life…
Its been years now since we got freedom. But still I have question
about that. Are we really free by true meaning of freedom? We are
still living under other people, people of our society. When we will
be free from this disease?
– Vimal Patel
July 28, 2002
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