14 years...

14 long years. That's the time Lord Ram spent in the forest, away from his kingdom, all because his father had given two boons to his step-mother.

14 long years. That's the time I have been writing a post about V-day... first cribbing, and then celebrating it because one myopic lady said "Yes" when I asked her to marry me.

In 14 years, Lord Ram managed to walk through most of India, made a few friends, raised an army and crossed the sea to rescue his kidnapped wife and defeated an all-powerful king.

In 14 years, I have gained a few kilos, lost more hair than I'd have liked and cribbed about life, love and everything else, to whoever might listen.

Maybe that's why they call Lord Ram is the ideal man. And they call me the idle man. But my followers are equally lazy to build me a temple, so that should count for something.

On that irreverent note, let's kick off this year's edition of V-day rhymes...

*****************************

Once upon a time, long long ago, in a land far, far away,

There lived a boy who loved to dream during the day

He loved to read, and his mind used to narrate this story

He imagined himself to be a great king, full of glory

He'd cross the ocean and all his enemies, he would slay!

As he grew up to be a young lad, he continued to daydream

Of being a dashing prince, whose name women would scream

He'd look down in the water, and shoot a rotating fish in the eye

As he looked up, the beautiful princess would say, "Oh hai hai!"

And he'd smile to himself like the fat cat who got the cream!

And then he grew up some more, and realized that he was scared,

Not just of monkeys who lunged at him with teeth bared

But also of oceans and seas, as he once went for a scuba dive

And he realized he'd never be a brave king, but he'd strive

To be at least an honest one, for he 'truth'-ed and never dared 

But while honesty may be the best policy, his stupid plan 

Most definitely did not make him a popular ladies' man

And while he could make a few jokes to make them laugh

For a long time, he had no luck with finding a better half

He worried that, in this particular race, he'd just be an also-ran!

And then, out of nowhere, his luck did a 180-degree turn

He met a wonderful woman, his advances she didn't spurn

He didn't even have to break Shiva's bow or shoot a fish

As Lady Luck smiled on him, and fulfilled his every wish!

But he soon realized he knew nothing, and had a lot to learn...

One of the first things he learnt was that 'I'll be there for you'

Was not just a sitcom song, but a requirement for a beau

And that while there may be days of really extreme stress

It doesn't mean that her love and affection grow any less

And that she had been, is, and always will be there for me too...

**********************************************************

PS: And that marks yet another year of writing crappy rhyme and hoping that it makes up for the lack of a proper gift. I don't know how many years I'll get away with this stunt, but one lives and one learns...