That has always been the question. There's a constant "Battle of the bulge" going on in almost everyone's life. You know you are at the threshold of middle age when your middle starts to show. And oh boy, do we all work to get those extra few pounds off! I remember a few weeks ago, we went out to eat with friends. And while we were eating, somehow the discussion veered towards fitness, working out, weight control etc. Well, right after the generous dinner and dessert, everybody (except me...I was too lazy!) found themselves at the gym, working out at almost 12 midnight! That's some dedication. Then everybody goes on a diet, till the next dinner outing. I guess dieting is a ticket we pay for exceeding the feed limit.
I think it's great that a lot of folks these days are into exercise and fitness. But a lot of us have a tendency to go overboard. In an effort to look good, we sometimes overlook the need to feel good. Feeling good about ourselves probably helps us more to negotiate life, rather than just looking good. Attempts to lose weight almost becomes like a secondary occupation with some. As one of our good friends puts it -- "I try to lose weight all the time, but it keeps finding me!"
Another friend of mine told me the other day that he was on a seafood diet. "When I see food, I eat it," he says. He has a good sense of humor. Unfortunately, that's the first thing some people will lose when they start a diet. But as my wife says, "the second day of a diet is always easier than the first, because by the second day, you're off it"!
Be positive and have confidence in yourself. Appearance is only a part of the overall package. We should be comfortable with our looks. Whatever we feel inside will be reflected in our persona. We shouldn't judge ourselves through someone else's eyes. Why compare yourself with others? No one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than you. So whatever else you do, don't be stressed about your looks, especially your weight.
'Stressed' spelled backwards is 'desserts'. Coincidence? I think not!
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Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
A Nurturing Neighborhood
A few weeks ago, our 14-year old son came up to me and said-- "Hey dad, I'm going to dance practice."
I almost fell off my chair. "Did you say Dance practice?" The word dance and Simar (our son's name) sound strange in the same sentence.
"Yeah, dad. Dance practice," he said.
"So what kind of dance is it?" I asked hesitantly.
"It's a mixture of Hip-Hop, Bhangra and Bollywood. It's for the graduation party."
My jaw literally hit the floor! "Who convinced you to do all this?" I asked.
"Anything for a friend, dad. Anything... even dance!"
Such is the story of our neighborhood, and particularly its children. Sometimes, it literally feels as if we all have a bunch of kids instead of the two or three of our own! They roll in and out of the neighborhood homes as an entourage. They play together, eat together, argue & fight as kids will, and most importantly, defend each other. In other words, they have each others back. For the last 3 weeks, they practiced sincerely, sometimes 2-3 hours a day. Our daughter made special trips from UVA, whenever she could to practice and help. And the results were evident on the night of the party. The kids were just fabulous in their dance routines, colorful and coordinated. They were seriously involved in their performance, not because they wanted accolades for themselves. They just wanted their friend's graduation party to be memorable.
Friendships like these are generally life-long associations. These kids will soon be carving their own paths as they forge ahead into a promising future. I'm sure they'll always be close to each other, no matter where they are physically, because they'll have poignant memories of growing up together in a nurturing neighborhood. Friendships and associations, formed in childhood and early youth are food for the soul, for an eternity. The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.
The first rule of life is to cherish your family and your friends as if your life depended on it...... you know why?
Because it does.
.
I almost fell off my chair. "Did you say Dance practice?" The word dance and Simar (our son's name) sound strange in the same sentence.
"Yeah, dad. Dance practice," he said.
"So what kind of dance is it?" I asked hesitantly.
"It's a mixture of Hip-Hop, Bhangra and Bollywood. It's for the graduation party."
My jaw literally hit the floor! "Who convinced you to do all this?" I asked.
"Anything for a friend, dad. Anything... even dance!"
Such is the story of our neighborhood, and particularly its children. Sometimes, it literally feels as if we all have a bunch of kids instead of the two or three of our own! They roll in and out of the neighborhood homes as an entourage. They play together, eat together, argue & fight as kids will, and most importantly, defend each other. In other words, they have each others back. For the last 3 weeks, they practiced sincerely, sometimes 2-3 hours a day. Our daughter made special trips from UVA, whenever she could to practice and help. And the results were evident on the night of the party. The kids were just fabulous in their dance routines, colorful and coordinated. They were seriously involved in their performance, not because they wanted accolades for themselves. They just wanted their friend's graduation party to be memorable.
Friendships like these are generally life-long associations. These kids will soon be carving their own paths as they forge ahead into a promising future. I'm sure they'll always be close to each other, no matter where they are physically, because they'll have poignant memories of growing up together in a nurturing neighborhood. Friendships and associations, formed in childhood and early youth are food for the soul, for an eternity. The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.
The first rule of life is to cherish your family and your friends as if your life depended on it...... you know why?
Because it does.
.
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