Rajib is a changed personality now!
‘I don’t sleep well. A little noise somewhere and I am up and stay the whole night awake in spite of all my wishes to go back to sleep.’
Well this is what I used to hear from my friend Rajib quite often. He always had complaints, either he had tummy ache, headache, sleeping problem or whatever.
Well I didn't disbelieve him always but then there were occasions when I knew for sure that what he said were not all true. One day for example he was complaining about his severe tummy ache but a few minutes later, while visiting him in his house , I found him enjoying all kind of fried stuff to his heart’s content!
Yesterday I met him on the way as I was returning from market. He asked me ‘How are you?’ I replied ‘Fine, Thank you.’
‘ What’s the matter don’t you have aches and pains at times or are you physically fit hundred percent all the time?’
I laughed and told him ‘ Look my dear, I am only a human being, I do get aches and pains at times and suffer from ailments but if I tell you about all these you will be worried, what’s the point of making you feel sorry for me unnecessarily ? Sometimes you have to harden your mind and say to yourself that there is nothing wrong with you, everything is O.K. and believe me it helps.’
‘Don’t you go to Doctors at times?’ He asked.
‘Of course I do but try to minimize my visits to the extent possible. You see if you can discipline your life it helps. Take a long walk, do gardening, play games, go for swimming or whatever so that you have some physical exercise and you feel tired and can fall asleep quickly. Don’t eat overcooked food, drink plenty of water and practice yoga.. My dear friend if you can do these instead of sitting idle at home, many of the diseases will not knock on your door. And other very important thing is that Keep smiling. I know it is not easy but not difficult either. Depression takes a toll on your life. If you are depressed for anything take your mind away from it by doing something else which you like. We all have problems of one kind or another and we have to fight all these ourselves. When nothing works of course you will have to see a Doctor but try your best to see whether you can cure yourself naturally with the strength of your mind or will power.'
My friend paid good attention to what I said and departed after thanking me and saying he would try his best to follow what I said.
About five months later I met him again. He looked younger and he didn't have that grim face at all. ‘ I have now disciplined my life and truly many of my ailments have disappeared’.
What about your sleeping problem? I asked.
He laughed and said ‘I don’t worry about it. I count one to hundred in my mind forward and backward or concentrate my mind on hills or forests whatever and that helps. I sleep like a log . Mind you I am now an early riser and I do a lot of walking.There has been increase of appetite and I enjoy my food. In all I can say I am Fine.'
‘ So nice to see a big change in you, you have a very positive mind which is so good.'
He patted my back and said ‘ My dear friend you have helped me a lot’.
I returned home and felt satisfied to think that I have been able to change my friend's attitude. Seeing him fit and well was a kind of pleasure that I cannot express in words.
