When I was around 17-18 years old, I was on a junk food spree. More of a monster may be, gorging on whole packs of snacks. And Maa realized it was time for a lesson, which I think was delivered to me in one of the funniest ways possible:

Maa: Would you like us to gift you a car?

Me: Of course! Which one? When?

Maa: Once you are ready.

Me: I am ready!

Maa: So, tell me. When you go to a gas station, what kind of fuel do you ask for?

Me: Depends. Whatever is best for my car.

Maa: But I feel you will ask for the worst quality available.

Me: Hahaha, do I seem a fool to you?

Maa: Maybe? When you put the worst kind of food into your precious body, how can I trust you with a car?

She got me with this one. I was ashamed of two things now! First, that I fell for her question trap. How could I not see this talk coming? And of course, the second being my bad eating habits.

Maa continued: I am not stopping you from eating junk. But remember that excess of anything is bad, and this hurts the most when you abuse your body, your greatest ally.

The effect was immediate. From that moment on, this question has been stuck in my mind, “Why put low-grade food in my body when I cannot tolerate low-grade fuel in my car?”

As life passed, I got exposed to things like alcohol, cigarettes, and more. And to be honest, I am not against any of them. In fact, depending on the occasion, I sometimes indulge as well. “No harm in letting loose,” I tell myself. I am against making a prison of my life, but I am even more against harming the life quality of my future self.

Today, I make sure I do not consume any junk or intoxicant more than twice a month. This is my balance. And in the end, you have to find your balance on your own. What matters is that you empathize with your future self. The seeds we sow today become the trees of tomorrow.

Take care of yourself and your mom Clementine.

Love you

Papa