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I was with a bunch of friends in a restaurant having good time, discussing topics from work, personal life and yes also politics. Discussion goes deeper and deeper, few order for some drinks, some alcoholic, some non alcoholic. One of my friends, often considered the conservative one was offered a drink and he denied as usual. The rest of the COOL guys started mocking him and talking how cool it was to have a drink and of course teasing him a bit about not even giving it a try starting right from the typical  “c’mon man don’t be a kid, why don’t you have some.” to much more.

The boy simply sat listening to the mockery and then simply uttered,  “Dude, I don’t want to waste my money on something which doesn’t taste good“. Well I am sure there are mixed responses when we say a drink doesn’t good, and not that his answer was met with a resounding silence and appreciation, it was taken in the same line and mockery continued while the boy too laughed along. But somehow that stuck to me as quite powerful, his gait, demeanour and the way he said it, not getting angry but at the same time being assertive that his decision was made.

I am not someone who would be against drinking, I am certainly not a purist, I am infact happy as long as people are comfortable in their own shoes. I mean growing our parents always used to say, “Be careful who you make friends with, they are a huge influence on you, avoid people who drink and smoke and …. ” well I am sure you know the list. But I think something they missed when they taught us these was “It is ok to be not yielding to the peer pressure, it is ok to be you and it is more than ok to do what you want and to be how you are”. Well I can’t assure you that he is never going to try in his life, nor can I assure that  it is a symbol of rebellion and self control. All I can think of is a little appreciation that the boy could stand up to what he thought was right!

I guess very often, it is very easy to agree to the social and peer pressure, a few moments like these now and then makes us rethink and feel good and maybe in a tiny way reawaken a little dormant spirit in us :)