So, people who have known me well enough are sure to know what a humongous family (extended, though) I have. And as is the case with every huge family, everybody happens to be in your face at the wrong time.
There are all sorts- people who have a problem that some kid is getting married at 18, others who have a problem that some of us are unmarried at 25, yet others who think that Xyz should not be married because Abc (who happens to be two months older) is not married yet(Abc and Xyz have the same great-great-grandmother). Then, there are the uncles who think love marriages should not be allowed, and yet others who think if the boy/girl is Muslim, it is alright (provided the family is as crazy as ours, as rich- not richer, if it is a bride we seek; as religious- not more religious if it is the groom we seek, and so on); and there are others who call up the boy's/ girl's parents and threaten to dispose of the family in the Arabian Sea (though the same uncles will partake in the wedding feast seated next to the groom/ bride).
What would one do without family members? They are there to hold your hand while you play the piano, they are there to grab your hand when you are falling, they are there to leave your hand when it is jammed. They are there to wipe away your tears of laughter, they are there to make you cry in frustration. They teach you to listen to your heart, but they only expect you to hear theirs. They teach you to dance as if there is no tomorrow, and then they teach you to dance to their tunes. They teach you to stand on your feet, and then they cut off your feet when you don't toe the line. You learn the rules, and then, just when you think you have mastered them, you see the fine-print. They teach you to love, and then they teach you to hate, and love all over again.The FAMILY is, after all, the best teacher.
They are happy when you win, happier when you succeed, and happiest when you fail at something they did not want you to succeed at anyway. They smile when you are in love, smile a little more secretively when you fall out of it, and smile the most when you marry someone of their choice. You learn to question, answer and shut up, all at once. You also learn to appreciate your many accomplishments and vociferously applaud another's success, however grudgingly.
The family is your one source of pure unadulterated hatred, venom, anger, wrath, sorrow, sarcasm, jealousy, pride, pleasure, togetherness and happiness. Hate them, love them, kill them, annihilate them, they will still come back to haunt you.
After all, aren't we all made of glue?
