peel off the pressure

I don’t know when it infected me.

But I know it’s incurable.

Because the side-effects still prevail.

I say a ‘yes’ when my friends feel I should.

I say a ‘no’ whenever there’s a general consensus.

It started rather unknowingly when I first choose the same bat as my friend because he and others found it ‘cool’.

It continued when I had selected the classes I had to join for my matriculation exam (Xth).

As if the world worked on singled mindset and thoughts.

As if someone decided it was cool and it was cool for everyone.

But the party to the crime always remained smartly underground.

Or for most of the times, the criminal himself was unaware.

For many jokes that we friends shared, I also laughed at those that dint tickle me just to keep up with the laughter chore.

And many dishes at the canteen got my pocket money cornered just because they were the local favourite.

But then I decided to start medicines as my inner doctor advised.

And took some decisions that were not ‘cool’.

And boy, I must warn you the results!

I got lots of eyebrows raised, showing the sign of utter disbelief.

I was alone to make new friends.

But somewhere inside I knew the decision was mine. And right. And nice.

As a confirmation, I turned back to see what I had lost and could I recover it.

Clearly the virus was fighting back into my blood cells.

But the look back just confirmed my doctor’s prescription.

Today I know where I am heading and where my dream lies.

And strangely it’s not the popular decision nor is it the one that my friends approved before me.

Yet it’s ‘cool’ and surprisingly a right decision.

Which has left me wonder a few things.

Do we define what works for us or is it those who are the ‘cool’ and ‘smart’ ones do it for us?

If so, are we living our life or is it they who are reliving theirs?

And if we are so much affected as we realise, can’t we be strong to bring out the doctor in us?

After all peer-pressure is not an officially recognised and formidable disease.

It’s just that we fail to realise that we are infected. In time.