Occasionally Yes

Occasionally Yes

“Hey! You want a puff? “Someone in our circle asks passing us a blunt. No, not really. I gave up smoking. This is the most common answer the occasional smokers have. I call these people the intermediate who can quickly transition from a Yes to No and vice versa. As time passes by and the smoke diffuses all over the ambient air, the moment comes when the intermediate people ask for the same blunt. If you pass this moment, congratulations you aren’t smoking today. “Eastern Hearts, Western Minds” is what we’ve heard and felt proud of. The problem with eastern culture is in providing personal space and respecting others opinion. Remember, how many times your relatives forced you for a drink when you were reluctant to. I call these people the blackmailers who want everyone to put up with them and don’t quite care if you are in a state of moral obligation. The intermediates are in a way a product of people’s habit to compel others join for their cause. It’s quite evident that if you are an occasionally yes type, you must have made a commitment with yourself not to do something. Have you ever reminisced what actually happens at the moment when you go from a big no to a sudden yes?

What if the intermediates were not in the very moment when the smoke diffused? Maybe it could be a different story then and maybe not. Maybe we’re not psychologically grounded when we come across these moments because it is very likely that you would not smoke if you weren’t a part of it. But equally it is very unlikely for you to remain aloof from these situations and sooner or later you are to face situations like this squarely. Being calm and composed in other words, being mentally grounded is one asset not everyone possess. No, it’s alright to be excited at these moments and enjoy to the fullest but being excited to the point that you forget all your commitments doesn’t guarantee that you won’t regret later.

“Chances may come on your way, don’t smoke your life away “this is one line that I used to come across an informative TV commercial when I was a kid that warned not to smoke. Of course, that didn’t make any sense to me when I was a kid but as an adult when I remember I find it quite relatable. Of course, we are social beings and can’t live without spending time with our friends and family. And when you are with them, chances may come on our way when you have to choose between saying a yes and forgetting your commitments and saying a No and sticking to your allegiance. The choice is quite simple but we tend to linger and become an intermediate.

The choice a person makes during these obligatory situations defines what really they are made up of. It shows their patience, endurance and their ability to find the right blend between enjoying the moment and being grounded–closer to their commitments. The choices are often influenced by the hierarchy of priorities they have set forward in life. If it is the commitments that they value, there would hardly be any intermediates. If there’s going to be no regrets when you choose to smoke or do something that contradicts with your commitments there’s absolutely no fuss. But if you are to regret later then maybe it’s high time that you reminisce when you said an occasional yes. An anonymous once said, “The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground”. I’m holding my grounds now. What about You?

One thing we’ve got to learn is to say NO if we are not ready for something and my dear beautiful people another thing is we’ve got to accept when someone says NO. Let’s make things easy for everyone if not less difficult by not putting someone in a state of moral obligation. Live, love, enjoy and never forget to laugh! Good dayJ