world 🌎 R 69

At this age, all girls desire marriage and intimacy with a husband, as our hormones signal that our bodies are ready for physical union.

I experienced something similar to what many girls go through. I would look for a life partner in every new man I met and sometimes daydream about my wedding night in broad daylight. But this certainly didn’t mean my character was flawed. Every girl experiences changes in her body and emotions at a certain stage of life—it is a natural process.

I was extremely passionate about my career. My dedication to work and ambition to get ahead meant that the topic of marriage kept getting postponed. My mindset was to establish myself first and think about family later.

When I was 23, my grandmother started pressuring me to get married. She would say, “I just want to see your husband before I die.” But I was lost in my dreams, and marriage wasn’t a priority for me at the time. I didn’t even realize when I went from 23 to 28. Eventually, even my mother started asking, “Are you planning to settle down in your old age?” I would get irritated and retort, “Is 28 really an age to get married?”

In fact, the influence of social media and Bollywood was so strong that I began to feel one should only decide to marry when one is completely ready. Famous actresses would say, “Know yourself and give yourself time before marriage,” and I accepted that as the right path.

However, at 31, when I started experiencing abnormal pain and heavy bleeding during my periods, the doctor stated clearly, “If you plan to have a family, don’t delay any longer. The body has its limitations.”

When I got home and searched the internet, I saw that film stars freeze their eggs so they can become mothers whenever they choose. Hearing this brought some relief, but upon learning the reality, I realized that this option isn’t available to everyone.  A doctor at a major hospital in Mumbai told me that egg quality is at its peak between the ages of 25 and 27—but I was already past 31.

On top of that, there was the cost of egg freezing—around ₹30,000 a month. That was when I realized how drastically ignoring the passage of time had changed the course of my life.

Eventually, at 33, I married a 36-year-old man. My husband is wonderful, and our bond is strong, yet even after four years, we haven’t been able to become parents. Now, I constantly recall my grandmother’s words: “Get married, or it will be too late.”

The earnings from the career I spent years building are now being spent on medical treatments and tests.

Today, I want to tell every young person: a career is important, but there is a right time for every stage of life. Just as a girl’s first period arrives at a specific age, there is also a right age for motherhood.

Do not base your decisions on the lives of film stars and celebrities. They can buy glamour and options with their wealth—we cannot.

So, make your decisions thoughtfully, respecting both your body and the passage of time. That way, you won’t have regrets later—and you can truly live every moment of your life to the fullest.