The wishlist of an Indian citizen

A genie comes and grants three wishes to the Indian citizen. The common Indian citizen who travels in crowded trains and buses that stink badly. He bears the brunt of strikes and dharnas. He is the brave soul who might have to bear Rahul Gandhi as the future Prime Minister. The man watches Salman Khan roam scot-free and Sanjay Dutt always on a parole. He, who lives in a small 2 bhk apartment with his unmarried daughter. The man with as many problems as his age, what would be on his wish list?

1^st wish

Common Man: I want loads of money.

Genie: Sure man, but I need a little time.

Common Man (sighs): Why so?

Genie: I have a plan for you that will keep you wealthy always.

Common Man: Oh! And the plan is?

Genie: It’s a 5 point plan. Firstly, I will do away with the taxes this country levies on you. There will only be a 2 per cent levy per receipt in bank accounts. Secondly, I will reduce the current inflation level so that you get commodities at a cheaper price. Thirdly, I will boost business investments in the country to provide employment to your children and encourage entrepreneurship. Fourthly, I will make sure all cities and villages get uninterrupted water and power supply. Lastly, I will develop ports, bridges, roads etc. so that you travel with ease and at minimum cost.

Common Man: I would be able to keep all of my hard earned money. That is great J. Thanks Genie.

Genie: Come on! It’s just the first wish. Tell me what’s next?

2^nd wish

Common Man: I want the safety of my wife and children.

Genie: Certainly Man. I would grant it to you.

Common Man: How will you be able to protect them 24*7?

Genie: I will ask the CID to train “friends” to protect women and kids.

Common Man (Shrugs): Seriously, you mean my friends?

Genie (laughs): No by friends I mean undercover operatives trained by the CID on issues relating to harassment of women and children. So in offices, buses and even your neighbor’s house, the person next to you could be a CID operative. These operatives will not only be the eyes and ears of CID but also field officers geared to catch nuisance mongers.

Common Man: I am totally impressed by your ways Genie J.

Genie: Your wish is my command dear. Tell me what is your third and last wish?

Third Wish

Common Man: I want 30 more wishes :P

Genie: Yeah I kind of guessed this was coming. Don’t worry I will fulfill all your wishes. You just have to keep the Lotus, I emerged from, with you always and I will keep on serving you. I have served the people of Gujarat and they seem pretty happy and satisfied and I hope the same for you too.

Common Man: Yes Genie I will. If only the hand-broom stopped throwing all the dirt on you, I would have found you much earlier. Love you lots Genie.

Get back in love with yourself :)

I vividly remember the time when I was 14. I was obese and I didn’t know why.I was an active child. I played with all the other kids and had a diet which was quite similar to the others. Then why was I obese? The only thing I knew back then is food makes one obese. So I stopped eating. I had milk for breakfast followed by no lunch and then a very light evening meal. It was as difficult as cracking the CAT score of 99.99 percentile but yes I did it.

Age 14 – weight 59 kgs

Age 16 – weight 46 kgs

Little did I know that with my weight I had lost a lot more. First and foremost the starvation and lack of nutrition decreased my level of immunity to such an extent that every month I was down with cold or fever or some other disease.  I had lost my energy level drastically. I had become a ghost of my previous self. So yes I had lost weight but the wrong way.

My mistake was I made demon out of food. I crushed my appetite and lost weight.

There is a huge difference between eating, eating healthy and not eating at all. As a kid we are taught all about the vitamins and minerals in food. But can knowledge rule over the pleasure of tasty food? Can a kid ever choose an apple over a chocolate or say a bowl of curd over ice cream? Yes can be the answer in very rare situations.  Even as adults we fail to realize the benefit of eating healthy. The tongue rules the stomach. So many people eat junk with the knowledge that it will only add to the paunch.  Obesity traps people into a vicious cycle in which if we eat junk we get fat and if not then we get a craving for it and if left unsatisfied it pulls us into depression. Either ways we are stuck and cannot see a way out.  

The only way out is to love yourself. To understand the abuse the body gets subjected to every time you fill it with junk, alcohol and smoke. Also starving is not the way out.  One has to realize that health is the greatest wealth.  The little pleasure you get out of eating an ice cream and a burger every day will give you cellulite at the wrong places and several other health problems in the future. And the little pleasure will turn into a big pain you will have to live with for the rest of your life.  Being obese can impact everything in your life. It could be career, relationships, lifestyle, personality, attitude etc. So for once let us start listening to the body. We can nourish it with food, nurture it with exercise and fall in love with ourselves yet again.