My idea of Secularism

I have a friend, who is part Hindu and part Muslim. Her parents met in college and fell in love. Her liberal mother came from a conservative Hindu family. Same was the case with her father. They both decided to marry, against the desire of their respective families.
They both knew that religion was a matter of personal faith. It’s not necessary to belong to the same religious group, to be happy with each other. That religion and traditions are there for an individual’s convenience, to make his life a smooth flow, and not to dictate them. They understood this and respected each other’s personal beliefs.
This basic understanding and attitude is secularism for me.
The best part about this marriage was that, no one told the other, to convert. They accepted each other the way they are, without wanting to change anything in each other. This acceptance for me is secularism.
Secularism as a political and constitutional principle involves two basic propositions. The first is that people belonging to different faiths and sections of society are equal before the law, the Constitution and government policy. The second requirement is that there can be no mixing up of religion and politics. It follows therefore that there can be no discrimination against anyone on the basis of religion or faith nor is there room for the hegemony of one religion or majoritarian religious sentiments and aspirations. It is in this double sense--no discrimination against anyone on grounds of faith and separation of religion from politics--that our Constitution safeguards secularism.
But secularism in the broader sense is accepting others the way they are. Not just by the
Government, but the society as well. It is a change in the outlook of an individual.
Blurring of barriers of caste, creed, religion etc amongst the masses.
This change in attitude defines secularism for me. Secularism will be attained totally when we do not have classified ads in the matrimonial section saying, ‘ we want a fair Hindu Brahmin girl’, or ‘ a Vaishnav boy’.
Its not just confined to religion, caste, etc. It involves appreciation of our past and acceptance of our future and present. To know the reasons behind the age-old traditions and recognize the need for change in them. To know that we are all children of our circumstances. To identify that our parents had a different up-bringing, different environment. And to respect that. To realize that our children are living in a different setting, and that their needs are different.
We have to be aware of the fact that we need to give a certain amount of space to a person. Every being is entitled to have different perception and interpretation, which are of his own.
Secularism for me also means, the autonomy to analysis. Freedom of thought. Where we think for our own selves the way we want, accept it the way we think and not feel sorry for it.
Like if I want to have sex with some random person, whom I don’t even know, I should think about it without feeling guilty. This remorse comes from the way we are born and brought up in our society. We are told the most natural thing to a person is a taboo. Secularism is when you question this and ask why? When you look deep inside yourself, find an answer that makes you happy and accept it.
‘Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high…’ , this anthem for defines secularism in its true spirit.