Think Before You Drink!

 "The driver is safer when the roads are dry, The roads are safer when the driver is dry! "

Have we ever observed that more the campaigns set in motion in the country and the world opposing alcohol, the more boost there is in its consumption. The more we protest against terrorism, the more oppressive it has become. The more we talk of not smoking, more people have started its consumption.

I know you must be thinking why do I keep writing against alcohol and smoking most of the time. I guess its because I, like all of us, have seen people suffer, seen relationships dissolve,  people die, people hurt, people cry, families who once prospered left with nothing. The choice is completely yours anyways! Beer/wine/alcohol was something meant to keep you warm in countries that are cold. It was meant to be used as a medicine for several purposes such as keeping your body warmer in winters, to be added in cough syrups for treating common cold and cough.

But people have taken it in other sense. Today it is seen as a parent to domestic violence all around the globe.Can anyone please tell me what benefit drinking provides you in such hot and humid cities of India? I don't think Rajasthan is cold enough in months of May and June for you to drink, or Mumbai is cold enough entire year for you to drink  bottles over bottles. But yes, if you live in Leh-Laddakh, Shimla, or  such cold places that are really freezing all year round then you do have a choice!

Let me tell you a few real life stories that I have come across, might give you a small reason NOT to drink anymore.

In a small town lived a family. Father was an addicted drinker. Mother was left with nothing because everything they ever had was sold by her husband. The golden years of life of the couple were in turmoil. The impact of all this on their kids was even worse. This was all almost 30 years back. Lets see what it looks like today:

The children hate their father.

The lady still repents for marrying such a man.

All relationships shattered.

All financial resources finished.

Do you think they're happy ?

A little boy used to see his father drinking, coming home, creating such an haunting environment in the house. The boy saw all this, he decided never to drink when he grows up because he realized what all his father's drinking habit has done to his siblings and his entire family. Today, that boy has grown up, unfortunately despite knowing and experiencing everything, I know he must have tried hard to stay away from all this, but his quest to stay away lost, he got influenced by his company and started drinking.  He now knows very well what all damage is caused to him because of this. There were some other people who cared enough to try to get him out of this but they failed too!

Do you think all this sounds happy?

A women with two kids, husband and in-laws lives in a city. Her husband drinks heavily, beats her, randomly runs away from the house, is found in police stations at times, even on train stations. The women is left with what?

Do you think she's happy? Do you think her kids are having a bright childhood?

There are lacs of more examples to give. If alcohol/wine/beer was so good to consume why do all great  people, all great  institutions, all named NGOs are working against it's consumption?  If we think these people are foolish enough to stand against such things, lemme tell you, we are ignorant enough not to understand the facts and figures even after seeing all the live examples around us! The western countries have already experienced all these and now are on their paths to adopt Indian culture, Indian values, whereas we wise Indians are busy adopting foreign approaches, be it in our eating and drinking habits or handling our relationships, thinking its cool, trendy and more feasible not knowing and ignoring the after-effects!