THE SKY IS FALLING!!!

Mr. Harwadekar is a very dear well-wisher of mine. He is about 85. The night before last, he had observed me talking to a Police Officer.

It was our Society matter and about 20 of us – including Mr. Harwadekar – had been to the Police station regarding some dispute. The particular Police officer was absolutely biased and was trying to intimidate us. Our twenty-member delegation consisted of all respected, well-educated and cultured members and I was there, that night, heading the delegation as the Society Chairman. We were right and had all the moral and legal authority to present our case. I began on a very courteous note – gently, yet assertively. But, when I saw the Officer still being biased, I used my emotions… got charged-up – not angry or agitated – passionately charged-up. And, I spoke very strongly with that officer. The good men around me gave me tremendous amount of inner strength and I did not feel the fear or anxiety even for a while.

In the end, the Officer came around… mellowed down… He changed his track.

We came out, a lot satisfied. Justice was done to us.

Last night, Mr. Harwadekar, who had witnessed my passionate presentation, told me,
“Gerry, I was worried about you, your health… You should not be so excited.”

“Yes sir, I should not; you are right,” I admitted before my concerned well-wisher. “I did not get sleep for long, last night.”

“Yes, that’s what was wrong,” Mr. Harwadekar said immediately, “You should not allow your emotions to control you; you should control your emotions.”

I remained silent.

“I know that sir… I know it very well,” I told my well-wisher in my mind, “But, I have been finding it very difficult to separate my emotions from my actions… at least, so far.”

“Gerry, even if the sky is falling on you,” Mr. Harwadekar advised me lovingly, “Slowly look up and say, Oh, sky… Sky is falling.”

“Yes, and don’t throw things and run in panic just when you hear someone screaming ‘Sky is falling’…!”  Anil, another young well-wisher of mine, who was sitting next to us, added.

I liked this imagery: The sky is falling. 

It will fall on my head if I stand still, right here... 

and,  it will fall on my head 

even if I run, to save myself, at 100-MPH speed! 

So, why drain your energy before you die.? 

Look up to the falling sky and say, 

“Wow! What a rare sight!”

We won the fight last night… But, I lost my sleep!

Many years ago, one afternoon, I had called up my residence number from my office. My son was six-year old then, and he picked up the phone. 

“Son, can you give the phone to mom?” I sweetly asked the little fellow. It was some urgent matter. 

“No dad,” my son hurriedly replied, “She can’t move!”

“Why? What happened to her, dear?” I panicked.

“I am drawing her sketch; she can’t move!” The young Picasso banged the phone down!

The sky did fall, that afternoon… and I was running. I was asking my little son, “What happened to mom?” And, he was telling me, “Just chill!”

My wife had laughed… 

My son drew a lovely sketch of his mother... and he called it, “Just Chill”!

I called it - ‘The Sky Is Falling’!

GERALD D’CUNHA

THANKS:
The image used in this Post is by Ashok Ahuja. He is a professional Photographer and a very dear friend of mine. He is also one of the founder members of The Dawn Club, and, along with his gifted-artist wife, Sudha, has been helping me, and the Club, right from its inception.