THERE'S FAR TOO MUCH TO TAKE IN HERE




















Many a times, I find myself almost tongue-tied. I am referring to some social situations. Like last night…. Like this day… Like this evening…


Last night, a young, dear couple had invited us for dinner. It was a lovely ambiance… The young couple made us feel special… Their parents were extremely affectionate… and, they had prepared for us a sumptuous dinner. We loved their little, vibrant kid. After the dinner, the couple showed us through their projector a touching Audio-video they had put together for their little one’s recent 5th B’day.

As the images flashed on the giant wall of their drawing room, the famous ‘Lion King’ song– ‘Circle of Life’ – was played in the back ground… The lyrics flashed through the images… and, these lines, suddenly, caught my imagination:

There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found

This is one song, I almost listen to every day on my PC. Yes, almost every day!

I, often, hum the lyrics… But, last night, when the lines came up on the screen, I literally cried, “Hey, I did not know, the lines were so powerful!”

I had been more of a listener, last night… I was finding it hard to speak. Yes, I stopped struggling… let go the need to say something forcefully… In stead, I found myself telling me in my heart, “Hey, tonight is the night for being a beholder… Just be one!”


I hope, by being a good beholder, 
one is able to contribute a great deal 
to conversations…



I hope, there are times

I must get into the flow of talking…

and, there are times,

I must just be a good listener…

a wonderful beholder!


Last night, though I did not say a lot… I hope, I have!

And, today, we had guests at home… The same pattern continued…

I found myself more on the listening side…

And, the pattern still continues… now, right now!

I can sense this urge within just to take more and more from around…

And, it really seems the time to ‘take’ is now…

So, as others speak, voice their strong views… I find myself listening to them… not feeling any urge to contradict, add or deduct… In stead, just allow the process to be.


I have been listening to the Elton John song almost daily. I have been humming the lyrics regularly… And, still, I have not felt as strongly about it as I did, last night!

Probably, it was time to ‘take’… and, there was so much out there to ‘take’…

Yes, the more I reflect on this phenomenon, the more I get convinced about the ‘circle of life’… maybe, weird it sounds, that my ‘giving’ has to come from my ‘taking’. The song, did have a different meaning to offer, last night:

It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life


GERALD D'CUNHA


Pic.: Roopa Sushil

Comments

Nalini Sharma said…
I liked the message you have given: we can not really give unless we take. Ironically, the more we give the more we receive, as well.

Thanks,

Nalini
July 10, 2012 at 1:43 PM
Gerald D'Cunha said…
Thanks Nalini. Love. Gerry
July 13, 2012 at 8:54 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

Image
Pic.; Ashwin Mohta M y Hindi was always bad. It still is. One reason for this was, that they introduced Hindi for us only in 6 th standard. Or, was it in 8 th ? I don’t remember… I only remember struggling to write and read… leave alone speak! But, I loved Hindi movies, and, strangely, I could understand the dialogues and the lyrics of the songs… I used to sing those songs (of course when no one was around me!) as if I was the lyricist… One of the songs was a very funny one. ‘Muthu Kodi Kawari Hada’. It was from Mehmood’s super-hit comedy – ‘Do Phool’. I was a 15-year-old high-school boy when I had heard that song (not watched the movie). I could grasp the meaning of two words – ‘Muthu Kodi’… which meant ‘Give kiss’… But, what ‘Kawari Hada’ meant, I have no clue till date! It was just like ‘Why this kolaveri di’... Yes, why ask? Simply enjoy the beats… And, the beats are great… The rest... Who cares? Really! So, whatever bit of Hi
Read more

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER IS NOT A FAIRY-TALE... IT IS A CHOICE"

Image
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone… It has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin,  The Lathe of Heaven T welve years ago, when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married, the world began to hail the couple as ‘Brangelina’. It became a fashion for couples around us to call themselves so… Norbert and Teresa renamed them as ‘Noresa’…  Amol and Vishaka baptized their relationship as ‘Amoshka’… and, Salman and Nargis became ‘Salgis’! I and my wife, too, got tempted to re-christian our matrimonial relationship as ‘Germa’... That is, Gerald and Anima, to be precise! B efore I proceed any further, let me make it very clear, here… that, I have no business to judge on the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina’ Jolie’s marriage. I have no inclination to go into why, how, what when etc behind it… The couple ‘chose’ to split. And, it’s their choice… Only they know how good or bad… how joyful or painful that
Read more

SELLING MIRRORS IN THE CITY OF THE BLIND

Image
“I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. I laugh when I hear that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” - Kabir T here is a universal human weakness – and it dates back to the days of fallen civilizations – and it is: to place people on pedestal and trying to be smothered by them, feel loved and protected in their company… worship them as mentors, heroes,  gurus, Mahagurus and Satgurus… Make these mortals larger-than-life cut-outs, worship them as flawless, pure and give one’s all… And, then, ‘take’ everything from them blindly as divine… Give everything to them blindly… Eventually, what happens is:  one more dangerous bondage… What was supposed to free you now becomes a new prison… It’s sad to see this happen! T his room, where I am writing this Post, has no image of any deity. I have no image of any Guru or Master around me… My question is: “Am I not able to feel close to Almighty God?  How does it matter
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...