Maq Masi Blog

We lost a friend recently. He was one of us — educated, accomplished, a PhD in engineering. His death came suddenly, without warning. The kind that stops conversation mid-sentence, that puts silence in a WhatsApp group where laughter used to live.

In that pause, one friend wrote something that has stayed with me: Can we not spare five minutes a day for ourselves? Five minutes — to jump, to walk, to breathe. Not for vanity. Not for records. But so that our families won’t lose us too soon, like we lost him.

That question became a quiet invitation. And slowly, something shifted.

A friend shared a short video. Ten jumps. Ten push-ups. Ten deep breaths. Not staged or perfect. Just honest. He didn’t just do something — he shared it. And in doing so, he reminded us that care begins with attention. That inspired me.

So I wrote down my own routine. I cycle 5 km in the morning, again in the evening. I walk 10,000 steps each day. I do two sets of Surya Namaskar, ten push-ups, fifteen sit-ups. I shared this not to impress anyone, but to make a promise to myself — and maybe to you. That my children should one day know: their father tried. Not only for them, but also for himself.

I often wonder why we struggle to give ourselves five minutes when we so easily spend thirty arguing about politics or gossiping over things we cannot change. We debate the economy, elections, war — but neglect the body that carries our thoughts, or the breath that fuels our emotions.

Five minutes a day isn’t selfish. It’s devotion. It’s choosing to stay a little longer — to be around next year when your daughter needs advice, when your friend needs a hand, when your wife needs a hug, when your son needs to see how a father shows up for himself.

Let this blog be a message in the group chat. Let it be a record for our children. One day they’ll scroll back and find this: not a viral reel, but a real moment — where we chose life in small ways, consistently. Where we said: I matter. You matter. Let’s live like we believe it.

So today, just take five minutes. Stand up. Stretch. Breathe deeply. Walk, jump, move — however you can. Then share it. Because it might be the reminder someone else is waiting for.

And if you ever ask, what can I do to live better, longer, stronger? — the answer is simple: just five minutes. Every day.

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