Leap before you look

My Aaji would have been 85 today.

I am remembering her with fondness — from her lovely laugh & sincere smile.

There’s a wonderful story that I think about a lot. Coming from a strict upbringing, she grew up in a family with proper rules & decorum. One must always follow a certain path.

This included relationships. In that generation, marriages were likely arranged in your specific community. And if somehow was a love marriage, it was customary for the men to court & eventually propose.

But when she met my grandfather (Dadaji) — everything changed. It wasn’t arranged and he wasn’t from her community. My Aaji? She decided to make her own rules. She confidently proposed to him: “We should get married.” And they were together for ~60 years.

Amazing courage & faith in an uncommon time. Sometimes in life, you have to leap before you look. Love you Aaji!