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    Don't rush through

    Synopsis

    Tom Alter's couplet warns against rushing relationships. Mark Twain advises restraint and curiosity. Love thrives with restrained emotions. Pouring hearts out too soon leads to exhaustion. Survival of a relationship requires consideration and less volubility.

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    An Urdu couplet by Tom Alter goes like this: Chaahat ke angaaron ko sulagte hi rahne do/ Kahin ek lamhe ki phoonk se aag na lag jaaye - Let the cinders of desire keep smouldering/ Lest a moment of indiscretion trigger fire. The actor, who was also an Urdu poet, warns us of rushing through various relationships, associations and bonds in life.

    A man went to Mark Twain and told him that his beloved suddenly stopped talking to him. 'How old is this relationship?' asked Twain. 'Well, a week old,' replied the man. 'Did you try to kiss her against her wishes?' 'No, we just kept talking for hours together. I did no mischief.' Mark Twain smiled and said, 'You both talked too much. You left nothing for tomorrow. You both emptied your hearts too quickly and too early.'

    We all make the same mistake. Hearts' emptied too early, leaving nothing for tomorrow and the day after. Love, or any relationship, thrives when there's an element of curiosity hidden in it, indecipherable to both. It's like an art movie, which is always intriguing. The moment a viewer understands, deciphers, it's all over.

    Too much in too short a time leaves both exhausted. When we pour our hearts out too soon and there is no emotion to glue two individuals, we eventually fall apart. It's not just the matter of giving adequate space to both, but also the consideration that we remain less voluble, and a bit restrained for the survival of a relationship.
    (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)

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