Man, I gotta get this off my chest. At 28, the whole "find a partner" circus has officially worn me out. It's been a non-stop audition, from justifying my salary (even after busting my ass to go from 15LPA to 28LPA in just two years, mind you) to defending my powerlifter physique ("hippo" or not, my blood work's cleaner than theirs!). Then it's why I'm investing in my village, why I wear glasses, or the casual assumption I'd kick my parents out when I get married. Oh, and the "no dowry, equality" talk, which somehow only applies to their family's asks, not mine.
The irony kills me. My parents, who literally fostered two of my cousins because they longed for a daughter, would shower my partner with love. But I can't even say that out loud without becoming "easy bait."
I even tried dating on my own. I confessed my feelings to someone, and then she said, "you don't earn 25LPA, good luck." That was back when I was at 15LPA, and I’ve since climbed to 28LPA, but that dismissal after putting myself out there really stings. It makes you wonder: is my entire existence just a series of proving I'm "good enough"? My folks used to ask about it, and one day I just snapped, shouting that not everyone's like them – people have lists, and if you don't tick every box, you're just another option.
For a while, I even started hating couples around me, which I knew wasn't healthy. So, funnily enough, I ended up at the Mahakumbh. Standing there, taking that 1 AM dip in freezing water, it hit me: why am I trying to convince anyone to like me?
Honestly, to hell with marriage prospects. To hell with relationships for now. I've got other things to focus on, and if staying alone means peace, I'll take it. I just don't have the energy for this circus anymore. My parents' happiness matters to me, so I can't openly say I'm done, but trust me, any talk of marriage now, and I've got an "emergency meeting" to attend.