Art of Drinking

DON’T DRINK WHEN YOU NEED A DRINK

[Food for Thought]

By

VIKRAM KARVE



One evening a friend of mine landed up at my place and said, “I’ve had a really hard day at work. I need a drink.”

“I’ll get you a cup of tea,” I said.

“Tea…?” he exclaimed astounded, “haven’t you got some whiskey or something…I told you I’m feeling terrible…everything went wrong today…I desperately need a drink…”

“I know you are dying for a drink, craving, yearning, thirsting for that “soothing” sip of alcohol. That’s why you shouldn’t drink now. Never drink when you need a drink,” I said.

My friend pleaded, I didn’t budge, gave him a cup of tea, which he drank with great reluctance, and then he walked off in a huff, calling me all sorts of names, a miser, a “good for nothing” friend, but I knew I had done the right thing.

Don’t drink when you need a drink.

Sounds funny isn’t it?

Let me try to elucidate.

Never drink when you need a drink.

Don’t touch the bottle when you are feeling any negative emotion, for the bottle will “unbottle” and release your pent up negative emotions and make you feel even more miserable and also spoil the mood of all those around you.

Let me tell you something I have observed in real life. If you want to know the true character of a man get him drunk and what is hidden inside him will come out and his true inner self will be revealed.

That’s what alcohol does, isn’t it? Reduces inhibitions, makes you more expansive, expressive, loosens you up, and amplifies releases and brings out your inner emotions, talents, passions, sentiments.

That’s why some persons become more creative after a drink or two – as the music, the poetry, the creativity hidden within you is unleashed – if you are happy inside you start outwardly physically expressing your happiness by laughing, cheer and bonhomie, you may even articulate your secret unexpressed love, become amorous, romantic, try to realize your hidden desires and reveal without compunctions your inner secrets which you otherwise wouldn’t disclose.

But the converse is also true. By reducing inhibitions alcohol may bring out the worst in you and pent up negative emotions like anger, envy, dejection, despondency, frustration may also be unleashed resulting in undesirable consequences. Have you noticed how some people get violent, argumentative, rude or even melancholic, moody, sullen, depressed, unsociable after a few drinks?

Dear Reader, in my opinion, the best thing is not to have a drink at all, but if you must have a drink please do make sure that you are feeling positive, peaceful and happy inside and you don’t desperately “need” that drink.

Never drink when you need a drink.

Do you agree? What is your experience?

Please do comment and give us your views.


VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2009
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

vikramkarve@sify.com