Chapter 3 – The River of Health
Lakshmi’s mornings were already shining with two gifts:
Waking at 5 A.M. gave her energy.
Chanting the mantra gave her peace.
But one day, her mother noticed something.
“Lakshmi,” Amma said gently, “you look tired after playing. Do you drink enough water?”
Lakshmi tilted her head. “Water? I drink some… maybe one or two glasses.”
Amma smiled and shook her head. “That’s not enough, dear. Water is life. Our body is like a garden. Without enough water, it becomes weak and dry. You should drink at least five liters every day.”
Lakshmi’s eyes widened. “Five liters? Amma, that’s so much! I’ll feel like a water tank!”
Amma laughed. “At first it may feel strange, but slowly your body will thank you. Try it.”
Lakshmi thought about it. “Hmm… when I started waking at 5 A.M., it was hard too, but now it feels magical. Maybe drinking more water will also be magical.”
And so, a new journey began.
💧 The First Day of the River
The next morning, Lakshmi filled a big steel bottle with water. She took small sips while sitting in her garden.
At first, it felt boring.
“Glug, glug, glug,” she drank.
Her stomach felt full, and she giggled. “I’m like a balloon now!”
But she remembered her promise. “If I want to be strong, I must learn discipline.”
By afternoon, she finished two bottles. By evening, she had reached almost five liters.
When she lay in bed that night, she whispered, “Phew! That was hard. But let’s see what happens tomorrow.”
🌞 The Change
The next morning, when she looked in the mirror, she noticed her skin glowing. Her eyes looked brighter. She felt lighter and fresher than usual.
At school, she didn’t feel tired during class. She was able to focus more on her lessons. Even during games, she could run faster without getting exhausted.
Her friend Arjun asked, “Lakshmi, how do you have so much energy? I get tired so quickly.”
Lakshmi smiled. “Because I drink water like a river.”
Arjun scratched his head. “Like a river?”
She nodded. “Yes! Five liters every day. My Amma told me water is life. It really works!”
Arjun laughed. “Then I will become a river too!”
🏞️ A Fun Experiment
Lakshmi decided to make water drinking fun. She drew five little water drops on a chart and stuck it to her wall. Each time she finished one liter, she colored one drop.
At the end of the day, all five drops shone bright blue. She clapped her hands. “Yay! Mission complete!”
Her younger brother saw the chart and asked, “Didi, what are these blue drops?”
Lakshmi explained. “They are my river drops. When I drink five liters, I complete my river.”
Her brother’s eyes sparkled. “I want a chart too!”
Soon, the whole family joined. Everyone colored water drops each day. The house became full of laughter as they compared their “river charts.”
🌼 Water and Nature
One Sunday, Lakshmi and her friends went on a picnic near a small lake. The water sparkled under the sun. Birds dipped their wings, and lotus flowers floated gently.
Lakshmi sat by the water and whispered, “Thank you, water. You are so beautiful. You give life to flowers, fish, birds, and us too.”
Her friend Meena asked, “Lakshmi, why are you talking to the lake?”
Lakshmi smiled. “Because water is alive, Meena. It listens. When we drink it, it gives us health. When we waste it, it feels sad.”
Her friends nodded thoughtfully. From that day, they promised not to waste water at home.
🌊 A Small Struggle
But some days were not easy. On a hot afternoon, Lakshmi had already drunk four liters. She picked up her bottle and groaned.
“Oh no… one more liter? I feel like I’m carrying a bucket inside me!”
She wanted to give up. But then she remembered her golden dream: “Hard things make you strong.”
So, she smiled and said, “Okay, River Lakshmi, one more drop to go!”
She finished the last liter slowly, sip by sip. When she colored the final drop on her chart, she felt proud again.
🏫 The School Project
One week later, her teacher announced, “Children, we will have a project about Healthy Habits. Each of you must present one habit you practice daily.”
Everyone looked nervous. But Lakshmi’s face lit up. She knew exactly what to present.
On the project day, she carried her chart with five blue drops. Standing on stage, she said:
“Good morning everyone. My healthy habit is drinking five liters of water daily. At first, it felt difficult, but soon I saw changes. I felt stronger, my skin became fresh, and I could run faster in games. Water is life. Just like rivers give life to our land, water gives life to our body.”
She held up her chart. “This is my river chart. Every drop I color reminds me that I am filling my body with health.”
The audience clapped loudly. The teacher smiled and said, “Lakshmi, that is wonderful. You have inspired us all.”
That day, many of her classmates started carrying their own water bottles to school.
🌟 The Power of Small Habits
Weeks passed, and drinking water became natural for Lakshmi. She didn’t even need the chart anymore. Her body reminded her when it was thirsty.
One evening, she sat with Amma and said, “Amma, at first I thought five liters was too much. But now I know that every sip is like a gift to my body.”
Amma stroked her hair. “Yes, my child. Our body is like a temple. Water keeps it pure and strong.”
Lakshmi thought deeply. “So, waking up early gives me time. Chanting gives me peace. And water gives me health. Step by step, I am building my treasure box.”
✨ The Lesson
Lakshmi discovered another truth of life:
Discipline begins with small drops.
When you care for your body, it rewards you with strength.
She realized that health was not built in a single day. It was built sip by sip, habit by habit, like filling a river with drops of rain.
That night, before sleep, she whispered, “Thank you, God, for giving me water. Tomorrow, I will color my river drops again.”
And so, the river of health continued to flow in her life.
