06/06/2026
मनोज आपल्या OPD इमारतीचा सुरक्षा कर्मचारी. कायम हसतमुखाने प्रत्येक पेशंटचे स्वागत करणारा. ऊन असो वा पाऊस, गरज पडली तर छत्री घेऊन धावून जाणारा. पेशंट परत जाताना बिलिंग काउंटरवर दिसले की लगेच व्हॅलेटला गाडी काढायला सांगणारा. एकदम प्रोॲक्टिव्ह!
आपल्या OPD च्या वेटिंग रूममध्ये एक फिश टँक आहे. रंगीबेरंगी मासे त्यात मस्त पोहताना दिसतात. येणाऱ्या लहान मुलांना आणि मोठ्यांनाही ते रिझवतात, त्यांचा ताण कमी करतात.
मनोजचे रोजचे एक काम म्हणजे या माशांना खायला देणे. न चुकता रोज सकाळी बरोबर ८ वाजता तो हे काम करतो.
आज मी ७:५५ ला पोचलो. मनोज अजून यायचा होता. पण मला पाहताच मासे अचानक वर यायला लागले.
८ वाजल्यावर तर त्यांची चुळबुळ आणखी वाढली. ८:०५ ला त्यांच्याकडे पाहून वाटलं, की आता जमलं तर हे आंदोलनच करतील की काय! 😄
शेवटी एकदाचा मनोज आला. त्यांना त्यांचं खाणं मिळालं आणि त्यांचा जीव भांड्यात पडला!
एकदम पावलोव्ह आठवला! (डॉ. इव्हान पावलोव्ह यांनी प्राण्यांच्या सवयी आणि प्रतिसाद यांचा अभ्यास केला होता.)
आपलं शरीरही असंच एका अदृश्य घड्याळावर (body clock) चालत असतं.
पण आधुनिक काळात आपण त्याच्यावर सतत कुसंस्कार करत असतो—अवेळी खाणं, अवेळी झोपणं, झोपेच्या वेळा चुकवणं. आता तर कृत्रिम प्रकाशाच्या झगमगाटामुळेही अनेक अडचणी निर्माण होत आहेत.
गरज आहे पुन्हा निसर्गाच्या लयीशी जुळवून घेण्याची. नियमित व्यायामाची. योग्य वेळी, योग्य ते आणि योग्य तितकंच खाण्याची.
आयुष्यातला हा rhythm जपला, तर जीवनसंगीत नक्कीच अधिक कर्णमधुर होईल. 🎶🐠
- चिन्मय उमरजी
What the Fish Taught Me About Life’s Rhythm
Manoj is the security guard at our OPD building. He is always smiling, welcoming every patient with warmth. Whether it’s scorching sunshine or pouring rain, he is the first to step forward with an umbrella if needed. When he sees a patient finishing at the billing counter, he proactively calls the valet to have their vehicle ready. A true example of service with a smile.
In our OPD waiting area, we have a beautiful fish tank. The colorful fish gracefully swimming around never fail to attract children and adults alike. They entertain, calm, and often help reduce the anxiety that naturally accompanies a hospital visit.
One of Manoj’s daily responsibilities is feeding these fish. Every morning, without fail, he feeds them at exactly 8:00 AM.
Today, I reached the hospital at 7:55 AM. Manoj was yet to arrive. As soon as I approached the tank, the fish suddenly gathered near the surface. It instantly reminded me of Pavlov and conditioned responses.
By 8:00 AM, they were visibly restless.
By 8:05 AM, watching them, I felt that if fish could organize a protest, they were probably just a few minutes away from doing so! 😄
Finally, Manoj arrived. Food was served. Peace was restored. The fish settled down, and life returned to normal.
It made me reflect on how our own bodies work.
Just like those fish, our bodies run on an internal biological clock. We call it the circadian rhythm.
Unfortunately, modern life constantly disrupts this rhythm. We eat at odd hours, sleep late, skip meals, stare at bright screens late into the night, and gradually drift away from the natural patterns our bodies were designed to follow.
The consequences are becoming increasingly evident—poor sleep, weight gain, metabolic disorders, stress, and a host of other health issues.
Perhaps what we need is not another complicated health hack, but a return to some timeless principles:
✅ Move your body every day.
✅ Eat the right food, at the right time, in the right quantity.
✅ Respect your sleep.
✅ Align yourself with nature’s rhythm.
Because when we preserve the rhythm of life, the music of life becomes far more beautiful.
After all, sometimes the most profound lessons come not from textbooks, but from a few hungry fish waiting for breakfast. 🐠✨