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Ik09Participant
Her father is doing well now and has been discharged as well.
As soon as my father returned home today after the ceremony, he was like now I am free from the stress of the elder daughter’s future and then looked at me and told me I have found a great family for you- the boy is in allied services, his father is a professor and mother a teacher. You will be so happy. It scared the shit out of me. And on top of that, he said your sister rejected so many good guys, the best proposals were rejected by her, now she was forced to settle with an average family. It is good but I wished she had chosen when she had the choice and got a better family and a better husband. Now she is so old that there are no good eligible guys left. So, I won’t let you reject guys right left and center like her. Learn to adjust and compromise.
I feel so scared and hurt. I so wish I fell in love with someone who took responsibility for his decisions, I could have taken his name confidently knowing that my parents need not look for people who will be bought through these costly gifts for me. I wish I fell in love with someone who could take a leap of faith and jump into these marriage discussions rather than just wanting to jump in bed with me.
I know this feeling will pass soon but it hurts a lot currently. There is no standing up for yourself in such cases, either you make the people who took care of you all your life sad and disappointed or you make them happy. Either way I won’t be happy.
- This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Ik09.
Ik09ParticipantI am doing okay, missing him a lot today. I was thinking of this…about being attached to the dream of what could be and I think it is true. I have met so many people, both men, and women, and yet I never had another human understand me so well as he could. I was afraid if I would get someone ever again who is so close to me as he was and so effortlessly.
Anyways, I am happy for now in my own company. I am dying at work, the target is too huge for a fresher and they are pushing us too hard but I am putting all my efforts in. My sister’s marriage got postponed again due to covid situation. So, my parents are stressed again. There is a ceremony in our state which I am ashamed of but it is the tradition so my parents follow it blindly. The male members of the bride and groom’s family meet and the bride’s family bring gifts for the groom’s family. in the olden days, the gifts were sweets and fruits. Today it is everything you can imagine….”dowry” included. So a brand new car came to my house today, a TV, a fridge, a microwave, and dozens of other things along with jewelry made in valuable metals. So although the groom’s family agreed to let the wedding be postponed they want this ceremony to be held tomorrow itself. I don’t want a marriage like that and seeing the way everything was brought and packed, made me feel really uncomfortable. Anyway, this made my parents happy though because this means that the wedding will take place sooner or later.
I have been dancing these days, made two reels too….it was the first time I dared to put it up…. I have such insecurities about people commenting on me in the past but people encouraged me, applauded even. Old friends reconnected, said they were waiting for a day to come when I would come out of my shell.
It felt good. I made a plan chart, I will start writing again from May 3rd and finish the pending work fast.
These are the things going on with me. How are you guys? Anita and TeaK?
Ik09Participantthose 6 times with the previous ex- were 6 weeks as well… With my previous ex-, it was more of a habit because of the frequency of the communication between us. He called me anywhere he was. And the communication was too much now that I think of it. I behaved like a love-forlorn puppy when it ended and I will accept it today that it was more of a blow to my ego because I often felt that I could be with someone better in terms of understanding and someone who was calmer instead of being hot-tempered like him. He had left me alone in a deserted street at 11 pm in a fit of anger because he had left his phone behind in a cab. He was unable to gather his thoughts and while I activated all google functions of his phone from mine so that anyone who gets his phone would inform us on my phone. anyways we found the phone the next day- due to the google functions, someone found it and gave it to him. No points about his anger but more that I always felt I was taking care of him. And within a year and a half, I wanted the relationship to end but he was already struggling so much in his life that I did not want to make life more difficult for him. I had mentioned it to him before but he used to dismiss it saying that we haven’t met in so long that is why you feel this way.
A relationship should be 50-50. So, that relationship’s break-up although hurt me but it is because he didn’t end it when I said but ended it when he felt was convenient for him. If you re-read the description of my dreams I had then…they all speak of how my self-esteem had taken a hit.
And as I said I don’t actually, what ‘dating’ is, because of the distance.
Recent one-
I don’t actually know what I think of it, I just know that there was an emotion(Perhaps still is hidden within) too strong which neither of us could understand. I am saying this because we often discussed this that why do we still care for one another? I have not heard of one couple who still had feelings for one another with as less communication and meet-ups as us. We even broke up on the issue that since we have met so less there must be only habit holding us together. We had no communication for almost 43 days. Then suddenly he texted because the moving-on plan wasn’t working. It was that night itself that I was thinking to myself that why am I in this situation and why do I keep feeling for him when I haven’t even spent a month with him together.
It has bothered both of us so it is not about what I consider or not. It was a situation that I never understood. And still don’t understand.
What I meant about not dating again in the earlier post was that I don’t wish to indulge with anyone for some time.
Ik09ParticipantThere is a famous cricketer in the team I support by the same name so Perhaps I will refer to his photos. Hehe, what has my life come down to…
Yeah, you are right Anita but it was not a conscious choice. It just so happened that I met both the guys that I dated in a long-distance situation. I want to in fact experience how it feels to date someone in the same city, but I don’t feel like I want to date anymore.
I want to experience more of myself currently.
As for my friend, her father is fighting covid-19 in the hospital so we are in touch but we talk for short while and definitely not about me.
What the world wouldn’t give to have the time we wasted mercilessly in the past so many years… God knows who would be alive and who wouldn’t by the time we get through this pandemic…
Ik09ParticipantI will try my best, I am focusing my heart and soul on all things I enjoy. Spending some parts of my savings on things that I have wanted for a long time but I kept denying myself all of it thinking one day I will get them.
I keep telling everyone that are you expecting that you will get a re-do of your life that you keep denying yourself happiness and here I am doing the same thing every time I am sad and stuck.
Time to apply it to me. I am still feeling fear in terms of letting people too close. But I think it will eventually go away.
As for overthinking about him, His name is the commonest name in my country so even when I switch the overthinking mode off, something or the other reminds me of him but I know it will happen only for sometime ……. and then it will be okay, right?
Ik09ParticipantTeaK,
Yeah, you are right but I still can’t help but imagine what our lives would have been had we both met as healthy individuals. I have never met anyone who cherished me like I was a prize they won. He made me feel like that initially but it ended.
I wish I had simple lives like those friends of mine who met their partners in college and married them after college.
I wonder how those women feel whose partners remember their birthdays and make them feel special.
I don’t think I know what a healthy normal relationship is like. And I am afraid.
Ik09ParticipantAnita
So I will explain it this way-
I don’t think that my sister is evil but she thinks that nobody but she is right and although she says I am the one who seeks attention all the time but she is the one acting out everywhere so that everyone should only discuss her and nobody else.
She has been overprotective when we are outside in front of other people and when we were inside the house- She never let me do anything I liked, When I used to dance-she would make fun of my dancing, English was my second language and so I had difficulty in the beginning so it was a laughing topic if I would write she would make fun of that, how I walk, what I wear, how I tie my hair, and yet complained that I always had the best of stuff, got more pocket money, anything that I used to have- she would take it anyhow but wearing it repeatedly and not washing it till I stopped asking for it. And it was all fun and games to her till I would talk back or ask for stuff. As a kid, she used to hit me for even taking her pencil while doing my homework if I lost mine. I have to remind you here that I am 5 years younger and so, I was already getting hand-me-downs and the stationary used to be with her so that it is SAFE. it was so safe that I never got to touch any of it till I was in 9th grade and she left for college.
My sister had come to visit me when I was in college 2nd year, I had asked my mum to not let her stay at my hostel but mum was like she is only staying there for a day, she had a train the next day. She had an argument with me because I was searching for something while she was speaking to me. Then she tried paying me for her stay, Which she did by throwing the money in my face, I lost my temper, I took the money and thrust it in her palms. She got angry seeing me reacting back so infront of my hostel girls, she kicked me first and then while I was on the floor thrashed me on my head 2-3 times then went inside my room. I was humiliated but I got up and went inside as well. She had a train in 2 hours and the railway station was a little far so I fixed my hair and Wiped my tears. Took her luggage and said come I will drop you off at the station, you might get lost on your own. She was like obviously this is your duty. I dropped her off, sent her off with food and magazines for the way. And came back. Not just that night but for the next few days, everyone kept talking about the incident and looked at me with pity as if I was an injured animal. And this is just one example.
Everyone used to get angry with me if I lost my temper whenever she provoked because according to them, it is her nature and you have to be the understanding one and not fight. And like a fool, I believed that yes it was my fault that our fights occurred because I lost my temper.
She bought 7 traditional wedding gowns (lehenga in Indian tradition) and I had one and yet she asked my mum to not let me wear mine because according to her my own gown was better than 7 of hers. Anyways, It is her day and I don’t have a thing for anything anymore. I just care for good food, and when I have enough then traveling as well.
So I think it is a combination of behaviors.
- This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Ik09.
Ik09ParticipantYeah, I might have to start doing that (writing my thoughts down) because today, my head was messing with my work, and that risk I cannot take.
I tend to drink more either when I am alone or when I trust my company. I generally don’t trust my company and so I don’t go overboard. I will be drunk and look sober to people. The time I mentioned during college when I used to be drunk regularly in the evenings. Nobody ever knew I was. when there were more than 500 people in my hostel and most people knew me.
About my insecurity with people- I might seem haughty now….read on
Since I started school late so I was always studying with my juniors and also everyone at home (relatives and my parents) tell me I am a middle-aged kid. I think I know the reason….it suddenly hit me
When I was a kid, my sister in her overprotective nature often told everyone to not play with me in case anybody pushed me so I used to stay alone. If in case I was already playing, she will keep me in her team and then get me out so that I can sit on the sides. So, I spent most of my childhood alone, crying to my mother who then used to give me puzzles to solve. Because of that, I love solving things, anything untangled which people want to cut with scissors, I can open with my fingers and hahah maybe because of that people tell me I don’t leave an issue till it is solved while my family members like to brush them aside and take care of them only if they are bothering them but I can’t take a lot of negativity or stress. I sort it out asap so that I can be cool about things later.
During parties, I would sit in one corner and observe people and it used to be my personal game to predict what they would do next.
Obviously, all these things make you weird in other kid’s eyes and so I used to be an outcast even in school. My body developed later than others. I studied in a girls-only Convent and girls were cruel then, I see the same people now and feel life changed them so much. Anyways, so I stayed alone till 6th grade. Then slowly I started making friends, people like me. Hahaha, it feels weird to say this but we became the cool gang by the time we graduated high school. The nerds were the cool ones, hahaha.
Then for my senior secondary, I moved to a co-ed school and again I was the outcast. I have always been seen as a good student so wherever I go, the teachers like me so obviously the kids don’t.
I received a lot of attention from the other gender when I always felt I wasn’t that good looking- my mum used to tell me that, since she is very pretty-fair and with excellent features-men of my age also compliment her all the time. So she used to tell me that since you are not that pretty so study well so that you can excel in your career. The complications of my life started here. The guilt of liking people when everyone keeps telling you that this isn’t the age to like people. Anyways I have sorted those emotions long back now. I had difficulty befriending girls here as there was already demarcation made- girls who love make-up, girls who are into sports, girls who dance, girls who are more homely, girls who in a relationship, girls who only study, there I was madly in love with Robert Downey Jr., studying too, cooking too, dancing too, and also liked by the teachers. I had no group. I was the first bencher not by choice but because I had no other place to sit. Everyone else had a partner.
College, I was involved with the social work society of our college and various NGOs. I had no time to sit with my classmates, I studied my subject (philosophy+Psychology) on my own and so no friends again.
Whatever few friends I made, were not close to me because I didn’t like to go out that much. Not with everyone, there are very few people I feel comfortable with. It is less about judgement and more about that I don’t trust people that much. They love to gossip and I have a story they might like to tell everyone about.
I generally don’t believe in meeting someone for a date and then understanding if there is a spark. For me, the spark is from the moment you meet or it isn’t. So the long-distance relationships were not something I planned. And the plan was to move in the same city as him (I was getting many colleges there) but my sister kept telling my parents that if I move to that city, it would be because of him so I should be stopped. I was also scared that if I move into the same city as him and he breaks my heart, the city might haunt me for life.
A few years later, I have understood few things. There are things way more important than all material in this world, it is people. And I have a lot of old friends in that city, we are not in touch but If I meet them, well, we can recreate a bond. Anyways, it didn’t happen. I had to move to another city and unfortunately, even my college placement was in a company that compelled me to stay in this city.
I am trying to write again. I am actually stuck in the middle of a novel for a long time. I don’t know how to write further from there. Will try reading advice from other writers.
Ik09ParticipantThey know I have always wanted to choose my own partner but the delay that happened in my sister’s marriage has scared them and they are not understanding my current mental state.
I care perhaps too much for a guy who at the end of everything does not want to be with me.
I have tried moving on many times in the last 2.5 years, it did not work. I have consciously tried to move on, to like other people but I am unable to. That scares me a lot.
Why did it have to be a person whom everyone disapproved of in my house? why did it have to be a long-distance relationship and why were things always tougher for us than other people?? this hurts a lot, these questions do.
Ik09ParticipantI do drink quite a bit when I feel like speaking my mind out but it is only then. It is occasional.
I hate small talk, you are right over there. Even on business calls when I should be having small talk, I get straight to the point. it is in my nature I think but I want to enjoy the company of people. Make strong friendship bonds but I am unable to talk to people on call for long or call often.
Ik09ParticipantI did not mention one mess up on my part. Last Oct., at a house party, when I was extremely drunk, I was kissed by someone(my friend’s brother- he was also in my college but another dept.). I was very very drunk and I kissed back but then I passed out after that. The next morning I woke up and texted the recent ex about it. He was obviously very upset. We didn’t use to talk on calls ever, we talked on text only when I texted- it was the time when he had started distancing himself from me after he and my sister talked.
He went mad with rage. But still kept telling me to eat well and sleep well and not think of it and not feel guilty. It took him some time but he got over it and although I asked if he wanted to end things but he said he didn’t. His sisters counseled him that time and told him that somewhat it was his mistake too. He didn’t accept me and kept me in limbo and so I acted out.
To be honest, I had no conscious thoughts in my head then. It just happened and when I sobered up the next day, I was haunted by guilt for months together, even now somewhere I feel guilt. I wanted to tell you this because when you called me good and honest, it bothered me a lot.
For the past two days, my anxiety is bothering me again. Crying and breathlessness and moments of complete blankness.
Ik09ParticipantI made a decision to work on myself and move on and although the urge to help him is quite strong but I know it will not suddenly bring me a happy relationship. Even in the past, whenever I chose to be in contact with him when he needed any help, I never was expecting something in return. Because whatever was there in the relationship front, I felt we were very good friends.
Especially when we spent the week together in February, we spent a good time together- we enjoyed ourselves, we talked well about all issues, we discussed about the future and we made a decision to meet often and work on our bond together. I said I would come to see him on his birthday in March and he agreed. He didn’t even want to leave. Although his issue staying was that he knew nobody but me in the city so when I went to work and he worked from home, he felt weird and said that all his insecurities would rush back in till I came home in the evening.
Anyways after he left, maybe his fears changed his mind again. He told me he felt I will be too attached to him if I go to see him in his city.
It’s been difficult to trust but that incident made me lose hope as well.
I made a decision then that this is it. I told him I was leaving and he agreed at first but then he asked me not to end it and that he will see a therapist to know why he is behaving this way and why he is so afraid of marriage. When one is in love, they feel really optimistic about everything. I felt like yeah he is trying, let me stick around for some more time.
He did go to the therapist but he didn’t find much help.
At home, nobody is asking for my consent anymore. They didn’t ask if my relationship with him ended or not, they are like since the choice was between my sister and this unknown man… Obviously our daughter will choose her sister and so they started telling me about different boys suitable for arrange marriage.
I told him and at first he gave his usual replies about how confused he felt but then I think he gave up too. He said meet them and if you like any of them, marry that person.
So, I am not going back. I have understood that nothing is going to change. But he doesn’t want to.
I don’t know why there is this complex in Indian society that if a man changes himself for a woman then he is weak, a wussy because acc. To the society, it means he loves the girl more than she loves him and that is not good as the girl will be dominant on the guy’s family.
In India, you don’t marry a person. You marry families. When you choose a guy, you choose his mom and dad and if his grown up siblings live under the same roof then even them. So, it is never just between a girl and a boy.
I so wished him to be the person I end up with. Reason was not any dependency, but the friendship we share… We think alike, we have same sense of humor, same temperament for people, enjoy similar things and adjust easily to things.
But we have lived together for a very less time and you never know what things would happen if we do.
I am taking care and will be okay. I have a lot to work on.
Ik09ParticipantI think he didn’t want me to know that he joined the forum and perhaps this is why he changed his username.
It’s very very difficult for him to talk about his issues with anyone. He doesn’t have me currently so maybe he thought talking here would help but I think for someone already facing low self-esteem issues, reading on my thread that he was the main problem, He was the one with all major issues might have felt like an attack. I can say this because I know how long it took for him to state a basic issue in his life.
I feel it is easier for us women to share our mind than men and if they lose hope for whatever reason that they cannot be helped, then it is like sentencing them in their mental prison.
I will still however not reach out to him.
If However, you are reading this. Please talk to Anita, share your entire story. If you don’t feel comfortable with me being on the forum. I will not open the website for the next few days, but I want you to not keep that pain in you. What is the worst that could happen? A stranger on the internet would tell you that you have issues, don’t you already know that? Didn’t you want to work on them and so decided to seek opinion and help here? Don’t give up on you. The people here are harmless, if you don’t help yourself then there will be a lot who take advantage of you all the time. And no you are not the problem, nobody can clap with just one hand, we require two hands. A happy relationship needs two people and a bad one also needs two to ruin it. I have major problems. Give up that fear. Nobody knows you. Talk. And don’t give up till you start understanding your mind a little better. Be honest about all questions and be patient.
Ik09ParticipantPerhaps,
I don’t remember very clearly, but we met once a year or twice a year… so 6 times in 3 years perhaps
With the recent one, it was more difficult although the distance was lesser than before because our situation was so weird, we were so on and off, so the gaps were bigger. We met in Oct 2018 then 2019 September then February 2021.
I know you will say it wasn’t a relationship since we didn’t meet like normal couples.
But this is what both of us wanted, a chance to be able to spend time together like normal couples. But the pandemic took away the chance.
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