A few good men
As dark as the clouds may appear, a new silver lining seem to have emerged in the form of a new breed of sensible boys, who are pretty level-headed, can comfortably cover the distance between dreams and reality, are aware of their wants and expectations, and more importantly, are looking for a soul mate in the real sense, not just a beautiful ‘prop’!

These are intelligent and sensitive men, who do have expectations out of their prospective spouses, but don’t believe in superimposing them or judging their bride-to-be on the basis of the long list of their own requirements. They know that in the decision of marriage that involves life-long commitment from both the individuals, it is utterly wrong for the groom-to-be alone to assume the role of the decision maker and pass a judgment on the girl while holding very high and impractical expectations from her. They are looking for someone to share their lives in all aspects and vice versa. Someone who is not just slim & stunning, but is understanding and compatible; one, who is on the same wavelength and can prove to be a good companion at all times. More importantly, someone who is a genuine person and loves, accepts and respects them for who and what they are. And since a relationship as sustaining as marriage is a constant ‘give and take’ affair and is based on mutual love and acceptance, this clearly means that these are also the kind of traits most women look out for in their prospective spouse; In other words, in order to desire, you must first be deserving of the same!

Groom(ing) the mind
For those of you prospective grooms who wish to team up with the few good men mentioned above, here are some tips to help you with your preparation of what to expect out of yourself while selecting your prospective spouse :

      • Get introduced to yourself like you were meeting a stranger
      • Know yourself inside out
      • Study your profile and personality
      • Ask your friends and family to help you with their views and opinions about your behaviour,         personality and life-style. Ask them what they like or dislike about you, and what are the         changes they think you need to bring in yourself to become a more acceptable person
      • Think practically about the kind of girl who would be capable of living with you, not someone         you have been fantasizing about for years. Remember, looks come second. It is the         temperament, attitude, upbringing and behaviour of the girl that is eventually going to be the         determining factor in your marriage.
      • Any relationship works two ways, not one. In order to receive, you must first be willing to         give. A marriage that is based on mutual love, understanding and trust will not only make         the married life happy, but will also last a lifetime.
      • Don’t keep your expectations sky high; Keep your options open & flexible and compromise         on issues that are petty and can be overlooked or ignored in a major decision like marriage.
      • Set your priorities right. Don’t take decisions with a confused mind or under the influence of         friends, family or other obligations. Don’t just say yes to a woman just because she was         your family’s choice. You have to live with her. Make sure the girl feels the same way as you         do, and that she has not agreed under pressure. Remember, marriage is not a kid’s game         and one wrong decision can lead you to a complete disaster.

The rest will come along as you go.

If marriage is about souls, to make it work, we must reach each other’s souls…the three most beautiful words in life are- ‘US’, ’TOGETHER’ & ’ALWAYS’.

And as they say, “A happy man is a happy family, a happy woman is a happy world!”