Eat! And eat more than just people's heads ;-) Have some food....for thought, and otherwise...Otherwise...

Remember the times you, as a kid were reluctant to eat a dish your mom had prepared with a few unappetizing ingredients or unexciting and unacceptable vegetables ? And then, not being aware of options such as "eating out" or "eating something else", you would eat (humble pie!)...
The past few days have been comparable to those days; in the sense that the days have themselves been as if they were forced upon me by a Mother ( a Mother of all things, if you will!) I don't disagree with the fact that one can never expect to exercise full control of all events related and unrelated to oneself.
But, the point is that the kind of events that have happened in the last few days have only reminded me of those early days when I would not even protest (not that I even knew that I could or should protest!).
Yes, very young kids know not any protest; just like as ordinary mortals (and immortals alike), most human beings know not any escape from circumstances surrounding and hounding them.

Having said this, I would like to briefly recollect The Namesake's childhood stories of escaping from food when not escaping from circumstances.
He would never like Pongal (no, not that sweet dish; the sweet kid he was, he would equally sweetly devour anything as sweet, just as sweetly as ever!).
And from as back as I can recollect having known The Namesake, I remember that he would somehow manage to escape from the dish, (yes, Pongal of the spicy variety) using some or the other tantrum. But for this, he was not a kid who really threw tantrums, and that is probably why he got away with the tantrums he threw over Pongal.
He would have bread, if available at home; and if bread were not available at home, he would ask for a tenner, which would be given to him as soon as he had finished asking. And the fact that he was in Class 5 or Class 6 would not hold him back from wanting to "eat out" in one of those fast food joints on his way to school... Spoilt kid, did I hear you say?
Well, if he was given this option at that young an age, may be you could assume/presume that he was trusted to be mature enough to have his way, and have food his way, on his way... Because, except for this one "aberration", there were very few tantrums he ever threw! And yes, since I have known him for really a long time now, you can indeed take my word for it!
Growing up, he would have better options such as making Instant Maggi Noodles for himself. He would by Class 8 certified at home as the best Home-Maggi Maker. The extra butter, extra spice and garnish, and the extra love and passion which went into preparing something as seemingly simple as Instant Noodles would make it delicious and hence, deserving of that appreciation.

Now, life is exactly like this, if you ask me or The Namesake.

If you don't like the food that is available, you "eat out". And since you cannot eat out all the time, you force yourself to eat food that is available and at the same time edible (even if not exactly relishable!)..
Eating, like sleeping is a healthy thing to do, and one must do it in proportions and quantities as required.
One should not consciously make an effort to change the very required measure itself.

And when one fails to do this.....Well....you know, many things can happen...

Acidity, gastroenteritis, constipation, nose bleeding, headaches....generally, any manifestation of sickness.
This is what will await any person who attempts to evade food as if they were events which human beings so easily try to evade and avoid.

Think about this...This is food for thought....

And if you haven't already figured out, this post, while tangentially being reflective about situations and circumstances and how we try to "deal with" them, it is essentially about something else.
The metaphor of circumstances has been used only to indirectly talk about people's eating habits, or lack thereof! :P

And, this goes out to two of my very good friends. What about The Namesake himself you ask?
He is of course a very good friend, but he has enough food...for thought, and otherwise. Otherwise....