Did my life change after marriage?

I got married on Jan 26th, 2011. It is purely a arrange marriage. After that, I asked 1 million times; Did my life and/or my attitude towards life has changed?

Well...I can't touch Beer anymore. That's because my boss and supreme commander (you know who?) has certain philosophical and health-related disagreements with it. After several threats and arguments Pepsi, Coke etc has been almost knocked out of the system. Now the long drive habit is under attack and unfortunately that will fade out of my life as well.

Above answers are probably some superficial things. But the truth is way more then this;

Few days back, I decided to seriously search for the answer. I was drawn to the foggy window which induced a stroll in the open terrace. I was feeling a long grey ghost trailing behind me. My silence was usually presumed as thoughts about my earlier lifestyle.

1.
I always complained about bad-taste food to my mom. Yesterday when I was doing lunch at office, the vegetable was tasted salty and sour. Few hours later I got call from her (my wife), asking me in soothing voice about lunch. I said “mmm….. O.K.”, meant “not bad taste... I could bear it" I said so just because the truth may hurt her. But that statement hurted her more, because she already knew during her lunch that vegetable tasted bad. For the first time I felt guilty about complaining about cooking skills.

2.
My heart stopped for a moment when she told me that her ring is missing. I relaxed after bothering Anurag (my friend) over phone that it was safe at his house, because we were there on weekend.

Was I so much heedful before?
No, never had I. I still remember how I was reluctant when my sister misplaced her ear ring and was pleading me to search for it.

3.
Arguments are always an essential part of my life. I always peep in to the common issues to disagree with my peers/friends to prove that they are wrong.

But did I do that at home now?
My head nods “no". I do not need to prove my smartness at home. Harmony of opinion is just an expression of brand loyalty, the product of best husband.

4.
Irresponsibility at mom’s home can be excused as a privilege, but after marriage every women requires emotional and physical investment to identify and accept the “major transition” in her life. I unknowingly intimate to conquer my life’s love but at the same time want to exile more in my professional life. I want to be responsible and caring like a naturalized person.

This doesn't mean that I was a rough kind of a person. What all I've felt is that it has made me more responsible and caring towards her. Earlier it was like "I'm happy"; now it is "We are happy".

I have many instances to quote the “difference” in myself, from yearning for a call to organized room. I know my priorities, life style, preferences, likes, dislikes, longings, “food habits”…….etc have undergone a major shift.

I doubt whether I lost my originality after marriage. I am convincing myself that this is a “normal change”.


- Nirnay