I never believed in love at first sight. It always felt like something meant for films and fiction. But last year in November, aboard the Vande Bharat from Chandigarh to New Delhi, I found myself proven wrong.I wasn’t even meant to be on that train. The plan was to catch the 6:53 am Shatabdi, but a friend’s wedding shifted my journey to the evening. A small insignificant change, until she took the seat beside me.Tall and composed, she had the graceful looks of a Jatti. We spoke briefly. Names, work, a few passing remarks. Nothing extraordinary. And yet, something had already changed.At Delhi, I thought of asking for her number. But both of us were traveling with our mothers, and hesitation won. I let the moment pass.Back home, fragments of that conversation refused to fade. With only a few details, her profession, a university, a passing reference, I began searching. Slowly, patiently, connecting dots across digital spaces and mutual circles. Surprisingly, our worlds overlapped and I was able to find her. A week later, I sent her a message, fully expecting silence. Instead, she replied.For a while, it felt like chance was turning into something more. But reality arrived soon enough. Her family wanted her to marry within the Jatt Sikh community. I understood. I respected it. Some paths are chosen long before we step onto them.Yet, I haven’t lost hope. I still find myself trying, in my own quiet way, to be worthy enough to be accepted in her world. Perhaps some stories ask for patience, not surrender.Because sometimes, when a train stops, it is not the end of a journey, just the beginning of a longer one. Fingers crossed.Kamal Passi, ChandigarhTribuneindia.com invites contributions to SHAHARNAMA. Share anecdotes, unforgettable incidents, impressionable moments that define your cities, neighbourhoods, what the city stands for, what makes its people who they are. Send your contributions in English, not exceeding 250 words, to shaharnama@Jattvibemail.comDo include the name of your city and your social media handles (X/ Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn)