Hate Love Stories...???

I have joined what they call a mobile library. It works this way: you fill in a form, pay an annual fee in lump sum, and their man comes (at irregualr !!!)intervals to your home with a bagful of novels and magazines, from which you can choose and
keep the books for about a fortnight...or of course till the man shows up again. Suits a slow and relaxed reader like me very well. I was told that I can give my choice in advance also so that on his next round the librarian could cater to my request.

This was a delight. Ever since the children have grown up and my household responsibilities have reinvented themselves, I've started a wonderful journey of rediscovering myself. It is a joyous experience. And a rather unheard-of one in today's fast-paced life, where taking things easy and living each minute of the day as per one's own liking is either considered to be a criminal waste of time or the refuge of the lazy. But I know it is a luxury of which people are regrettably unaware of.
Or simply cannot afford to have due to a demanding lifestyle, that includes work pressure.

As I am on this expedition of rediscovering myself, I often sit back and think what I have missed or had to give up in life because I had more pressing duties. I realised that spending time with myself is wonderful. Sitting in my home or going out all by myself, tending to the plants in my balcony, rearranging the furniture in my house, buying colourful cushion and table covers...listening to old Hindi songs and reading.

Reading reminded me of my collection of Mills and Boon novels, which I had so graciously given away (one by one to anyone who asked for it) years ago when I had found my real-life "tall-dark-and-handsome" life partner. So now I asked this mobile
librarian to get me Mills and Boon books. He looked at me as if I was from Mars (or more appropriately Venus?!!!).
After his long pause and my expectant gaze, he said very slowly,
"Ma'am! You will actually read them?!!"
I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, but don't have much to spare so keeping my cool I said: "Yes"

He looked at me sheepishly and still not sure, he told me that people actually never asked for M&B...even the young girls preferred more "realistic" stories, often based on the writer's own experiences as they were closer to life. The youth today were no day-dreamers.
I should have known. My children had laughed out loudly when I had asked them to present me with Mills and Boons on my birthdays.

I had to think seriously about this.
Was I being ridiculous and out of sync?
Was it some other fantastic world that I was living in ?
Was I trying to run away from realities?

Oh! My God! It was not so serious after all I hoped.
But it kept nagging me and I kept exploring the issue.
And then one evening the picture clicked.

We wanted to go for a family outing. Usually it would mean a film and dining-out or dining-out and film in that order. But it seemed really difficult to decide on the film. Men of the house preferred Hollywood...but I am a complete desi in every sense
of the word. Nothing but "Bollywood and associates" works for me. Disappointingly Bollywood had not come up with even one good film in quite sometime. Violence and sex were the only subjects they were churning out in the name of "realism" and "being different" (which was indeed far from "being different" as they all would turn out to be remakes of this-or-that).

Then "Jab We Met" happened. Some years back "Hum aap ke hain kaun", "Dilwaley Dulhaiya Le jaaengey", "Kuchh Kuchh hota hai", "Dil Chahta Hai" had also worked wonders with the audiance. But somewhere down the line, somehow, tender love and sweetness seemed to be goning out-of-date. We are convinced that films are a reflection of the transition the society is going through. They mirror current situations, and we must face facts.

So I seriously wondered if love had become obsolete. Had it gone out of fashion? Worrisome thought it was.

But thankfully not so worrisome when I thought of the success of "Jab We Met" in most recent times. I am thoroughly convinced now that love and honesty can stand every test. These are the only two things that work for Bollywood... and fortunately for everyone and everthing else too. Time can never fade the magic of love. And the integrity that honesty brings cannot be traded.

It is a huge comfort to know that love is always in fashion. Let it be coupled with honesty. It can then reach new horizons.
Whoever said "I hate love stories" must think it over again...