Being married for a long span of 27 years and still being in "love" with each other! I don't know what is love? But I do know that I still care a lot for the person whom I married long back and who was a complete stranger for me.

And the reason I am writing about it today is that my very observant daughter remarked that "you and papa seem to care a lot for each other." She is right as we both care a lot about each other. We have come to accept each other with all shades of grey and black and this is so comforting to live with a person who knows and accepts you for beig what you are.

I know one thing for certain that when he comes on the weekends, I am happy and look eagerly for him to come home. Though the other fact that we may have an argument within 5 minutes of his arrival is also equally true. So being in love doesn't mean to go along with the line of thought of another person, relegating backstage your own feelings and thoughts. It rather means to respect and give space to other's felings as well.

Mutual respect is another aspect that goes into making of a successful marriage. We both have mutual respect for each other. I know for certain that KS doesn't like it a bit when someone treats me as a woman and has always respected me as a person. He wants others also to treat me as a person and not a "lesser being" as a woman. Now such a concern that comes from a man who has no interest in the Feminist theories comes only because he treats me on equal footing. Now give it any name you want to.

KS has always been a pilar of strength for me and has seen to my personal growth as a person as well as a professional. He has been always prroud of my achievements even more than I myself have been. I wonder at times wehat I would have been, had not it been for his support to me at every stage of my life? Is it love?

I cannot even imagine my life without him. Though we have our qon quota of quarrels, arguments and at times fight too but is it not an integral part of life? The most important part is to be able to see the other's point of view and to accept the modalities that would help both of us to come to a consensus. If this is something that is called love?

In our culture the word "Love" is used with two extreme connotations, either it is the supreme love that a devotee has for the object of his/her devotion or it is the physical love that most of the youngesters fed on the staple diet of bollywood dram ascribe it to.

But I think it is a feeling that has to be felt and cannot be described in words and being an abstract word, we look for something concrete to be substituted for this pure feeling.

I think it is this feeling of togetherness where we feel that life without the other just could not be possible, that makes us live happily and makes us look forward to many more years of togetherness, caring for each other. It could be "Love".