Sharing convictions

My journey to Hyderabad for the Administrators' meet was an interesting one.  Half way through the journey, after lunch time, the young man sitting opposite to me was keen to start a conversation.  I certainly did not mind.  By the time the train reached Secunderabad station, late in the evening, he was sharing some of his most intimate experiences and thoughts.  However, what Bharat (that's his real name - revealed, because no one on earth, besides me, will ever know who it is!) found most difficult to understand was my choice to remain a bachelor all my life.  I did not reveal to him that I was a 'pastor' or someone in that line, but told him that I was engaged in some sort of service and the rest as truly I am.  He was all the while trying to convince me that life without marriage would be a real disaster.  Well, I did discuss with him my personal reasons for this choice and several other things too.  He saw the point in what I was explaining but somehow could not reconcile to the fact that I was giving up marriage.  Rather for him I was giving up sex!

We had a great conversation about love, sex, marriage, fidelity, service, friendship, loyalty ... He was typically a youngster and me a professed religious.  I'm sure had I given him some 'pious' thoughts and 'spiritual' solutions, he would have listened for sometime and have forgotten them by the time the train reached its destination. But now this I can be sure, the things we discussed would be ringing in his ear, loud and clear.  And I hope it helps him for the better.