The potential of “NO”

 

The Potential of “NO”

Dr. Chetasi Amjad

“Take it easy girl” a seemingly drunken man probably in his early thirties struggling to stand on his feet, barely able to talk, stinking with alcohol….asking me to chill when I asked him to stand outside in the waiting area while attending to a trauma patient in the emergency room. I talked to him in my stern n firm voice “NO, I am not going to take it easy ” looking straight into his eyes.

He was taken aback by a stand of a small-looking girl for the profession, wearing a white apron and a stethoscope around his neck. He perceived it rightly and let me do my duties.

That one NO made all the difference and made it all easy for me.
The word “No” comes with negativity, creates boundaries, comes with the price, sometimes huge yet does marvel.
You don’t have to be ill-mannered, disrespectful, nasty, rather you look gracious if you say it tactfully and rightly.
Initially in my early years of medical studies, coming from a small town, away from parents, seniors around used to make me feel intimidated and whatever is being told by elders, teachers somewhere compelled me to do conventional behavior which was expected out of me.
As knowledge was enriching me so was living with its lessons a hard way.

Through those experiences, slowly started analyzing the things, the “NO” word beginning to befriend and become a savior from many undesirable situations.

As I further progressed into my professional life, this seemingly negative word held more importance than ever.
A girl turned into a woman of her own voice, standing tall, pride in her eyes having the power to deny the things whenever needed – unapologetically …

As I was penning down this article I overheard my daughter saying to her friend ‘ no, I can’t come now, have other things to do’ and I found myself smiling.
A journey of thousand miles starts with a single step, I thought to myself.