As we stopped at Finsbury Park, I saw her. She was new, and I was busy and cheekily introduced myself. But, unfortunately, I was on duty, and I had to leave on the next train. As the doors were closing, I said, "I'm coming back for you." Little did I know what an effect these words would have on both of our lives.
I looked at her, and at the moment, I just knew she was the one. I knew this would never be possible. She had strong Sikh values and made it very clear she would marry a Sikh with a Pagh! so I never mentioned my feelings to her. So instead, she became my best friend, my soul mate, my light. I started to go through a low point in my life, and that's when she introduced me to meditation. I became fascinated with Sikhi and began reading, researching, and listening to Simran religiously.
We hung out with friends together. I would catch glimpses of her smile and began to know all her expressions. We laughed so much until our stomachs hurt. If she were ever sad, she would confide in me. We even had a few silly fallouts but always became one again, like Shahrukh Khan and Kajol in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Our beautiful friendship became stronger and stronger every day. That's when it happened, and we fell in love.
Trying to convince her dad was the biggest hurdle I have ever faced. She tried to speak to him. I tried to talk to him, but he still refused. We were now in a massive predicament. She had to choose love or family. She was torn, heartbroken, and devastated because she knew either path would break hearts. At times I felt guilty for even trying to be with her. But, my love was real, and I was serious. I fought for her and promised her I would forever love her, keep her safe and happy. After all, she went through; she chose to be with me.
My love for Sikhi grew stronger, and at that moment, I decided to wear my Pagh. This was a challenge as I knew nothing about tying a Pagh, but I found my style through the help of online videos. I didn't know what to expect or how people would react to me being a Sikh. It has been mostly good experiences, but I wouldn't have let anything veer me off my path with Waheguru Ji.
In September 2018, we had our Anand Karaj in the Gurdwara, which was such a blessing.
In December 2019, we were blessed with our son Ajay Singh. This was a glorious moment in our lives and such a blessing. Shortly after, we went into lockdown. This was devastating as all the things you would typically do as new parents were affected. Baby classes, having family over, going to the park were all taken away. I started taking photos at home of my wife Raaj and Ajay, which made beautiful memories to share with family and friends.
Looking back at our lives, most decisions were made in the moment. Some big, some small. In 2019, "In The Moment Studios" was created.
I am Roydel Singh Smith, Professional Photographer of In The Moment Studios. And this is my story.