You come together to make each other better: Relationships matter

We are all here in relationship with each other as fellow human beings as well as citizens of our society. Relationship is always a one-to-one. And, once it starts on a good note, strengthening it by harboring love is the only way forward and that is what matters most. It is important to be consistent of what you love doing to each other on a daily basis, failing which either side has become self-centered. People are under the misconception that relationship is limited to love / marriage only. I hope they wake up and realize that it is not true.

Take for example our relation with a child it is like blowing kisses unconditionally and cuddling and caressing the child and this unfailingly on daily basis even when the child is growing older, but never impose your views on them. Quoting Khalil Gibran’s words: “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts.” Remember this statement forever.

Whereas our relations with spouse continue eating together while chatting about the day or matters of common interest, even since maids are absent from the scene in Covid-19, wife doesn't mind eating in his plate once he is finished with his food and holding his hand when in bed for secure feel till lifetime or at least till one falls asleep. Relation with wife now a days in lockdown is more helping her out with last minute chores before retiring to bed and increasing share of house workload day by day

Our relation with mother is to patiently listen to her nonstop advices and rants and making time for bonding between mother and her grandchildren till her last breath. Keeping her in good humour and good health for her lifetime and taking care of her in the last days. Relation with father is lending a patient ear to his sermons daily on life problems and listening to news and letting him know you are always there by his side, no matter what.

Whereas relation with grandparents is treating them well again as babies and handling them with utmost care and dignity and just being there to hear them repeatedly telling the same dialogues again. Relation with siblings / cousins is taking efforts to make calls regularly and inquire on one’s well-being. keeping in touch periodically and allotting time for our kids to bond with theirs for building better relations. This would eliminate loneliness n media addiction among them.

Of course relation with relatives need to be topnotch in hospitality, at the same time give no room for gossip which deteriorates productive thinking. Plan for family outings rather go on a date while ignoring their presence. And mostly relation with friends are being in touch on daily basis and working together on common topics that excites them. Also, not allowing the 3rd person (not even spouse) to indulge which otherwise would dilute the friendship. Such consistency would reap fruits especially in old age. For this, have limited friends right from start. Don’t form gangs and wheel away precious time in cultivating bad habits.

Then there are relations with maids who would come back after lockdown consider them as part of family and cook extra morsel for them. Food satiates their stomach what monthly wages wont do. Have short crisp conversations with them on day-to-day affairs in the angle of making their lives better by giving insightful feedback. Relation with strangers on the road, is nothing more than a smile just to earn goodwill. Don’t use them as audience to gloat with better-half and bad-mouth at society under freedom of expression which amounts to cowardliness. This is a common trend happening in Facebook.

When it comes to relation with your own food matters you have a prefixed limit on how much of an item u can consume in your lifetime. Once the limit is crossed, overeating would spark a disorder. For eg: if you are destined to eat only 10 kgs of sugar in your lifetime, crossing it would lead to diabetes. Space out eating 10 kgs of sugar throughout your lifetime and u wont get diabetes at all. But please don't binge.

And when eating, mindfully involve all your 5 senses as they only send signals like odor, flavor, taste buds, etc which will measure your fullness and help decide when to stop eating. Usually when u get to feel food as extremely tasty n lip-smacking, that is when you stop eating. It is like reaching the peak before pulling the ripcord. That is the sign of contentment.

Relation with body starts with your waking up and doing suryanamaskar early morning, do breathing exercises. And to time the routine activities according to sunrise n sunset. Also we need to keep good relation with mother nature and listen her cycles and respect her dignity by following cleanliness and hygiene and keeping plants well watered and taking care of plants. By sowing more seeds, watch them germinate, water them, etc. And once it grows 2 feet, transplant to soil and watch it survive on its own. Identify birds chirping, sniff the air, feel the earth with bare foot. Best way to connect with nature and improve sensory awareness amidst our fast racing world of technology n computers.

Our relation with water - Once you carry your own water, you will learn the value of every drop. Avoid misusing taps to your advantage. And finally relation with God is to learn and chant hymns to sharpen mind and feel eternal peace. Visit shrines daily, listen to lectures n contribute to charity. Have prasad / thirth that is medicine in disguise. This prevents dementia in the long run by keeping mind always curious n active.

And finally our relation with ourselves by keeping our diet to comprise mostly of steamed food that is eatable even in old age, sleep cycle to be locked in accordance with sunrise n sunset, be on move every 30 minutes to avoid sedentary lifestyle. All these 3 brownie points would help one live old age at ease and avoid depression slipping in without our knowledge. We are responsible for what we are, no one to be blamed.

I am sure you would be fully occupied on social media by fulfilling the need for our online friends and also doing all the above mentioned relations in a 24x7 day, thereby sparing no time for negative thoughts to creep within. Consistency in such relations helps lead a healthy lifestyle and also ease slipping to old age without fear. Cheers!