#AtoZChallenge- Juxtaposition

The wedding date was getting closer. Jane was as nervous as she was excited. After all, she was going to marry Dev. Dev belonged to one of the many successful Indian immigrant families living in New York. They met during their time at NYU and it didn’t take long for them to get along. Love blossomed and they decided to get married after 4 years or courtship.

Dev was an American but his family had strong Indian roots. Though they had been living in the States for more than two decades, they tried their best to follow and practice Indian customs and traditions. Thus when Dev decided to get married to a Blonde American girl, it became an obvious reason for his parent’s worry. When Jane met Dev’s parents for the first time, she realized how things that are different actually mattered. Even the color of  her hair made her feel like an outsider. When their first meeting wasn’t as welcoming as Jane wished for, she got apprehensive with the idea of marrying someone from a completely different world. Dev sensed her fears and assured her that it won’t take long for his parents to understand his choice.

Meanwhile, Dev tried to make Jane understand his family’s sentiments, customs and their importance. Jane could never stop comparing them to her own belief’s and perspectives. In spite of all the dilemma, she was sure of one thing. She loved Dev like no other. The culture that she found intimidating might actually be the reason to Dev’s personality, she felt. The couple realized the importance of their differences as they constantly compared and contrasted the idea of marriage in both cultures. They began to understand their parent’s concerns from either side on why they weren’t against their wedding but were worried about the consequences. They decided to accept and respect sentiments from both cultures and follow the ones that worked for them as a couple.

The juxtaposing of both their cultures gave them a broader outlook and made them realize the basis of their relationship. As a result they understood each other better and promised one another with the best of both cultures. Though nervous, Jane was thus assured that her decision was indeed enriching and rewarding.