TSITP

That’s the short for “The summer I turned pretty” web series on Amazon Prime. The teenager in the house is mad about it driving me mad too. I remember being that mad about tv shows back then. And about bookish romance too. Heck, I was more interested in Nancy and Ned than Nancy’s adventures or Anne and Peter than the politics around them. The Hardy Boys had way too much action (not that of course!) but left me wondered where is the girl equivalent of Ned Nickerson in those stories. Why not deal with emotions of boys and make the romance only about girls. I guess gender segregation started way earlier than I imagined.

So, on the love triangle in the show(of course, that’s all there it is in every other non-violent web series, no? :eyeroll: ), I am asked often to choose which Team I support. Its one of the perks of being a parent that we need to choose sides. Perks for some, do-or-die situation for others. Especially if you are a confident decision-maker in your life, you can easily make the decisions about choosing sides too. Unfortunately, (you guessed it) I am not! Now that I have white hairs more in number than my age, I don’t believe in black and white anymore. I do love grey now, or rather I have started to accept the “grays” in my life. Be it people or hairs. Though I can easily choose between cake and ice cream: obviously team ice cream forever!

How is this an eternal question ever since the world was formed? Why is love so confusing for young people? Like, was there any third person among Adam and Eve? I can’t get over being in love with one, and young people in college are forever shown to jump around like monkeys in emotions about people? Or is it that I was way too traditional, and was raised with the notions of “saat janmom wala pyaar”? This is recurring ever since we watched Twilight. I was Team Jacob for a while because, in my right senses (that lasted just a little) I would prefer humans rather than vampires. Yes he was a werewolf at times, but have you seen ME in my anger form? By the end of it, I declare to choose the fifth or end up Team None.

Unlike the inexperienced teenager, maybe I could see all the problems that’s cropping up in all these relations. How they could crumble, under the weight of expectations, or carrying the burden of secrets which the other doesn’t understand, or being unable to let go of the ego and control. Yes, they may outgrow them all in their imagination sequels that were never made, but I am one of them who never could forgive the artistic world who gave me hopes of a happily ever after without ever showing how they navigated the bumps and twists of the rough life.

The silver lining is, how the new generation knows the theoretical aspect, if not the practical experience. I am hopeful for the future when I see her calling out the “red flag”! A hope that they may learn different lessons, and better lessons than us, from all these shows that goes on in the same pattern of love triangles.