Heartfelt Gratitude

Phew...getting married is really no joke I tell you.

Now that it's finally over and my parents are relieved of the fact that they have finally handed me to a man whom they fully trust in taking care of me and vice-versa, I can join the ranks of my buddies namely The Blueberry, BadAss Angel and many more in saying 'What? Getting married? Duh, been there and done that!'

After almost two years and eight months of planning, strategising, saving money, arguing with certain busy-body relatives and would be in-laws, my big day on May 19 came and went rather smoothly.

Of course, the three days leading up to the big day, the wedding day itself and a few days past the event were not without minor glitches and heated exchanges between the Scandinavian Prince, myself and certain quarters who go by the name of near and distant relatives.

Boy, the wedding day itself was extremely stressful for both the Scandinavian Prince and myself as minor issues were being taken out of context and blown out of proportion by select individuals who were hell bent on perhaps ensuring that the show didn't go on as planned.

Perhaps, it is true when the wise say 'we plan but God decides' for despite the various issues brought up and argued upon even while the wedding was in full swing, the event went on as planned.

Its been an extremely emotionally and physically taxing exercise - this thing called ceremonial wedding and the set of traditions you are expected to observe for at least seven days following the colourful event.

This being the case and given the fact that I have limited internet access for now, I will have to keep my blog short and straight to the point.

My rantings aside, the real reason for my writing this entry is to sincerely thank from the bottom of my heart - my scores of friends who took time off their busy schedule to witness my big day. I owe you guys a big, big, big, thank you.

If I start mentioning names of those who turned up, I'm afraid of leaving out some due to the rush that I'm in now but nevertheless a very warm hug and thank you to my best pal Vishnu, my dear friends Shah, Eileen, Sharon Tan, Hazatul, Tamarai, Uma, Mahesh, Nimal, Sharon Sharmili, Suresh, Karu, Toh An Nee, Janet Kee, Rita Chai, Khai, Alice, Evelyn, Jessica Wong, Damien Kee, Prasath, Alex, Kumresh and many, many more.

I'm also extremely happy to note that my former superiors and colleagues from both The Sun and The Edge such as Robert Ho, Umakanthan, Chong Cheng Hai, Tan Su Yin, Mah Pin Pin as well as some financial and property industry notables made it a point to attend my wedding because they sincerely felt that over the years we have grown to become friends rather than just professional contacts.

Over and above all those who were present on that day, I also take to heart the fact that some dear friends were unable to make it due to prior engagements but were there in spirit wishing me joy and happiness to last a lifetime.

To each and everyone of you who made it to my wedding and even those who were unable to make it but took the effort to send me gifts and tokens as a mark of your well wishes - please accept my heartfelt gratitude for your presence and blessings made my big day most memorable.

This memory shall be treasured forever!

Facts That Can Make You Smile

People

I think this forwarded piece from a friend is self explanatory.

Be amused thinking how true these words are, especially where people from the corporate world are concerned.

Am I Ready?

Time, it seems, at this point in my life at least, really flies.

As the time draws closer to my big day, some how there are many unanswered questions and it won't be an exaggeration of any sort to say that, at this very point in life, I'm constantly asking myself if I'm really, really ready for what awaits me post May 19.

There are moments in the recent past when I could confidently tell my dear friends that I'm indeed tying the knot soon but now that there's just another 10 days to go before the event becomes a cherished memory, I constantly question myself - is this what I really want?

Where do I go beyond the knot? What changes after you become someone else's legal half? Most pressing of all questions is perhaps the one that has to do with whether or not I'm ready for all that life has to offer after marriage.

Being born in a traditional family like my own and entering the one that I'm about to marry into, makes it no more easier when it comes to figuring out honest and practical answers to the above.

I mean, if you were to turn around and ask me 'aren't you adult enough to know if you are ready or not - to at least know if you are doing the right thing and are indeed settling down with the right person?', I'd say yes, I know I want to get married and I'm sure that the Scandinavian Prince loves me and I love him too.

But then, as certain quarters come together and start imposing their own ideas and virtues on the grounds that all these are age-old traditions that must be upheld at all times, I'm kinda lost.

I'm lost to learn now that some people are all so set to be trouble makers at almost all marriage unions that have taken place in a particular family.

I'm lost because these trouble makers themselves are married - they have been through the mill and know just how daunting the task of getting married is, uniting two families with different principles can be and most of all, they have already had real life experience in living through the stressful moments leading up to a wedding...and yet, after going through all the s**t on their own, why are they so resolved in making things difficult for others?

Its not like they have no careers or other focus issues in life - they do. They in fact have a family to look after, a husband to go home to, parents to care for and equally bitchy mates to mingle with, but no mate, its all not enough.

They must be present at all functions and non-functional gatherings between families and throw their two cents worth and side track everyone.

They go out of their way to make it difficult for the couple in all ways possible, particularly by citing traditions that are no longer practised even by their own families.

What becomes even more painful is the fact that some aged parents even buy the stories from these trouble-making morons on the grounds of 'what's so wrong in ensuring that we follow traditions'.

I mean like, do you know what the hell you are talking about in the first place? Do you know that all you are doing is listening to a brainless woman talking cock while buttering it in the name of tradition?

If I wasn't brought up in a very traditional family environment, I would have stood up and stated my views up front without any censoring, alas, this is an Indian wedding.

Time and again, I'm reminded that I need to be patient and all will end well. Just pray and don't talk back. Hold back your views cause wedding is usually where the elders do all the talking. Don't over react. Don't this and don't that because whatever it is, you are a girl, you are going to be some one's daughter-in-law and so you must play your cards right so that they accept you warmly into their family.

Yeah, so patience must a be a girl's virtue, particularly if you are Indian, bear in mind that you should also master the skill of withstanding stupid relatives from the groom's side - these utterly idiot of relations could be as distant a relative as is the gap between Earth and Mars but when there is a wedding in the family, they rule supreme with their stupid suggestions and moronic values that they try to force down upon a soon to be married girl.

As if the stress of managing a wedding in all broad aspects is not enough, certain unwelcome parties keep throwing their weight around to prove God-knows-what.

So, how am I to assure myself if I am ready for this?

Thoughts

This came from my best friend and it is so true and heart warming not to share!