Growing old together

Have you noticed, that as you grow old, you and your companion (spouse/partner/sibling) increasing sound and behave like one another?

Maybe it has something to do with the influence of company, or maybe people do change and adapt to each other in such a way that they adopt the other's characteristics and make them their own.

Take food choices for example.

The hubby was a rigid Bengali, fixed in his culinary tastes with a penchant for all things Bengali. I was more cosmopolitan in my choice of food. Now after 16 years of marriage, he prefers to have matar paneer, garlic prawn and biriyani, while I look forward to shukto and mocha ghonto. Once a confirmed Chinese foodie, he now digs kebabs and tikkas, while I happily gorge Chinese fare at restaurants. Why, I now prefer to cook garlic chicken to chicken cooked in Indian style.

Or lifestyle choices. A couple I know has adjusted to each other so much that the husband doesn't even remember that he was a late riser not so long ago before marriage. According to his wife's habits, he is up by 6 daily. The lady of the house has taken to exercising daily to match her husband's fitness enthusiasm.

Or even travel preferences. Couples prefer to consider each other's choices over their own, and come to enjoy these more than what each originally preferred.

Of course, there are some who do not adapt, and you can see it evident by the constant bickering. But adjustment and adapting bring its own rewards. You get the best of both worlds. And you buy peace and happiness in the bargain.

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