The Wake Up Call

By Vaishali Neotia

It’s here, that phase of life

The time when one starts to think What is the point of all this strife If life could go away in a blink

Sacrificing my good health

My sanity, inner peace and time In pursuit of material wealth

Wasting away years prime

The thing is, I now realise

It's easy for life to be binary

Either true or complete disguise The raw real or total imaginary

Have everything or nothing at all Running behind two extremes parties, drugs, flowing alcohol Or home solo, looking up memes

I eat unhealthy food like crazy Or total detox by abstinence

To do or do not is easy

Difficulty lies in the balance

it’s all in the mind, they say

That the mind is our dictator

But the epicurean body has it’s way Mind sits there, a silent spectator

And the mind too goes blind

Latches onto people, work and quirks Addiction leaves all logic behind Everything bad feels good and works

Sugar, alcohol, drugs or tobacco Social media likes or caffeine

They make the mind a happy psycho Who cares about the liver or spleen

They say work hard party harder They don’t say what is the cost What we lose in this barter

We get it when all is almost lost

I abused my body to the hilt

Drowned it in all kinds of alcohol And things made of sugar and guilt Till I maxed out my cortisol

I missed out on fun dates

On adventurous trips and treks I was busy attending debates

Conferences and pitches for cheques

8 years no holidays, none at all No Work trips extended for leisure No conversations lest a work call Scarlet websites my means of pleasure

Have sisters in London and sydney And a brother studying in the latter To neither place I’ve made the journey Next year next year always the chatter

My grandfather passed away in sleep To him I was closest growing up Lost my dad, a cut recent and deep All this while my body’s giving up

I had the warnings, many a hint Subtle at first then more intense Total annihilation needed just a flint Intentionally it seems I was dense

First the infections and lethargy Then came nausea and migraine I’d feel sapped of all energy

Getting out of bed was a pain

Yet I pushed on, abuse overload Never stopping to think or care Immortality is part, parcel of youth Of life’s ephemerality I was unaware

Finally though I awoke and how Made several lifestyle changes

Now I am present, here and now Upon this my future now hinges

Somedays I just want to wallow In pain and sorrow at my plight

Discipline helps, a schedule to follow, Ensuring my routine is watertight

I prioritise now, first my health

physical, mental and emotional Then come catalysts like wealth For me power to empower people

You see the key is moderation

Have some, leave more as spare I’ve granted my mind exoneration Have become more self aware

It took tragedies that did me wrong To help me glimpse the light

I limp towards it, the tunnel is long Every step making things right

I stumble, fall, get covered in grime Pick self up, smile, put up a fight Thus I progress, one day at a time The light shines, everything will be alright

Das Lieben ist schön

By Vaishali Neotia