“Eating was still a sore point with Smriti.She failed to understand,when interesting options like mango juice or chocolates were available,why was she forced by her stupid mother to eat boring regular meals?After much contemplation,Nikhil came up with a suggestion’Don’t give her food till she herself asks for it’.His idea’starve-to know-the-worth-of -food’made sense to Abhilasha,though it took her a great deal of resolve before she could actually try it out. So on a sunday,the’lady with an iron will’took over from’the soft and kind hearted mother’.she did not give her anything to eat and waited for the golden moment,expecting a hungry Smriti to beg for food.But the much awaited moment never came.Smriti was not at all bothered about her meal and kept playing happily. The day turned into evening and still there was no trace of hunger in her.”Aren’t you feeling hungry?’ now a worried mother had no option but to eat the humble pie and ask the daughter.”No Maa. My friend Pinky had brought wafers and chocolates. Those were so yummy that I ate them all……”And that was the end of her’starve-to -know-the-worth-of-food-mission.”
— Chitralekha Paul