Confessions of a Young Wife: The Life After Marraige

Hi, I am the young wife! I call myself that because I think I got married quite young. Not because of peer pressure but because of *love* pressure… well, maybe a little bit of peer pressure too! Lol. I got married recently, and let me tell you, life after marriage *changes*! When I say changes, I mean IT CHANGES!!!

So, here goes my story. I’ll keep it as simple as possible. Remember those times you joked around with your parents saying, *“I’m never getting married! I’ll just stay with you forever and take care of you.”* And then you grow up and realize your parents can be a bit annoying sometimes because they worry so much. But hey, just because you find them annoying doesn’t mean you stop loving them, right? In fact, TRUST ME, after marriage, you start loving them even more!

I was one of those kids who always told her parents, “Chahe duniya kuch bhi bole, main toh Papa ki pari ban ke rahungi! Na mujhe shaadi karni hai… Arey, I can’t even take care of myself, what will I do taking care of another person?” But then, I fell in love. And I wanted to get married so I could live with the person I love. Sounds simple, right? Oh no! Convincing my Indian parents, who always believed in arranged marriages and thought love marriages never work… was a whole saga in itself. They thought love marriages were fake and always ended in divorce. And here I was, wanting to marry someone who didn’t speak our language, wasn’t from our caste, didn’t even look Indian, and had so many tattoos! (Lol.)

Coming from a typical Indian family, where they expected me to marry within our caste, and being the agyakari (obedient) daughter that I was, I had always said yes to everything. But when it came to marriage, I did the most unexpected thing—I married someone completely different. My dad is super strict, so this wasn’t easy. There were reactions, drama, and whatnot. But hey, that’s a story for another day.

Now let’s talk about life after marriage. Before marriage, my husband (then boyfriend) used to tell me he’d cook for me, take care of me, and manage everything so I could focus on my career. All he wanted was my unconditional love and emotional support—which was easy because I already loved him! The deal sounded great, so I didn’t bother learning how to cook or manage a household. I thought my life would remain the same: focus on my career and just add love to the mix. Oh boy, was I in for a surprise!

The day we came back from our honeymoon, I found out that my husband’s office timings had changed. Before we got married, he worked from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM, which gave us plenty of time on weekends and evenings. But now his schedule is 2 PM to 11 PM, and his office is far from our house. We live in NIBM, and his office is in Hinjewadi (Punekars, you know the struggle!). He comes home at 11:45 PM—by then, I’m already asleep.

My day starts at 7 AM now. Back at my parents’ house, I used to wake up at 8 AM, get ready leisurely, have tea and conversations with my mom, and leave for work by 9 AM. My mom cooked, packed my lunch, and basically made mornings amazing. I wake up at 7 AM, get ready by 7:45, and spend 8 to 9 AM in the kitchen with my mother-in-law and our bai. They cook while I watch and try to learn. Then I make breakfast for my husband, who is still sleeping, and head to work.

I feel so guilty sometimes because my mother-in-law does so much while I’m just learning. So, future wives, if you think your husband will handle everything, think again! You'll be doing your share unless you’re super rich and have a chef and butler. My in-laws (who I lovingly call Mummy ji and Papa ji) are super understanding and liberal, but it’s still a transition. For them too! Imagine a stranger suddenly living in your house, eating at your dining table, and using your bathroom. It’s strange for everyone, but they’ve done their best to make me feel at ease. And even though I try my best, it feels so little compared to their efforts.

My routine now: I go to work, come back, have dinner with my in-laws, hit the gym, and then chat with them before bed. My husband comes home after my day is completely done. We’re back to meeting only on weekends, just like before marriage… except now it feels different for him, not for me.

This is just the beginning of my married life. It’s an adventure full of surprises, challenges, and love. I’ll update you with my diary as I navigate this journey. Hopefully, some of you will relate to it too. Stay tuned!