Gerald D'Cunha

Last week, I was talking to a gentleman during a function in a   friends' place. His elder daughter is now settled in America with her husband and their little son. "The Nature has been kind to this country," the gentleman said to me, "there is so much rich land, so full of natural resources."  I had agreed with this man. America is the most sought-after land for the migrants. It is the richest land... Yes, the Nature has been so kind to every one who steps into this great country. But, just some four days after I heard this statement – which, I had agreed with completely – now, I watch  these frightening images of 'Hurricane Sandy'... which has devastated the city of New York and humbled the mighty nation of America! Why do all these horrendous hurricanes, tornadoes, cyclones and storms explode on this country, with such ruthless frequency?  I was asking this morning, as I was reading the newspaper report...

A young doctor-friend of mine has come up the hard way in life. He is exceptionally qualified and has built a fairly-large medical-facility in our town. Whenever a young man seeks his advice, this doctor is fond of telling this: “In life, you always have a choice – to be a consumer or a producer/creator.” Some months ago, a worried father had taken his young son to this doctor. The young man, it seems, was crazy about the latest gadgets and gizmos… as almost all young ones are… the latest and the finest cell-phones, lap-tops, tablets, bikes, cars, cameras and everything that normally fascinates a young one. So, to the young one, the doctor had asked the same question: ‘Son, what do you want to be - Just a user of an i-phone 5 or a Steve Jobs?” That was this doctor’s way of telling the young kids, “Dude, stop day-dreaming; dream the real dreams!” The young man’s father was hugely impressed. He hoped, his son would now feel in his heart the punch, th...

Even if you become a Buddha – the ‘enlightened one’ or the ‘perfect one’, or whatever it is – you have to come back to this imperfect world to live with its imperfect people! The world will not change, just because you have changed… When you come back to this imperfect world, don’t expect to see the Buddhas all around you. It will frustrate you! The Buddha is an enlightened one: loving, patient, kind, forgiving, accommodating, and empowering… And, above all, the Buddha is the ‘wise one’.  Therefore, Buddha’s greatest wisdom is: this world is imperfect; its people, too! “Why do we judge others?”  This morning, I found myself showing a great deal of impatience with some of my students. I was revising something which we had done in the class many times over… a simple chapter, in deed. Some students were making ‘silly’ mistakes and I was getting irritated and yelling at them.  Was it helping them? Certainly not...

Last night, a contestant from a small-time town was on the ‘hot-seat’ of KBC. He worked as a computer lab-assistant in an institute and earned a salary around Rs.13,500/- pm. A family man that he was, had a great struggle to face: his father’s advanced-stage cancer treatment! As always, Amitabh Bachchan, was extremely graceful to this contestant… offering him empathy,  encouragement and hope. Amitabh Bachchan’s 70-year journey is packed with inspiration for any one who complains: “Life is full of struggle.”  So, during the course of the game, the contestant asked Amitabh as to how he had coped with his own struggle in life, and, if the Legend could help him with some tips. In a matter of not even a minute, what Amitabh said to this earnest soul, impressed not only the contestant, the audience and me, but, I am sure, it must have impressed the whole world which watched the show! “My father would tell us,” Amitabh said to the contestant, “that, till we...

As a Christian, I grew up on the stories from the Old and New Testaments.   There is this story in the Old Testament of Abraham’s sacrifice to God.    The Jews, the Christians and the Muslims – all claim that Abraham is their forefather… the founder of their religion… or, their Prophet. His sacrifice to God – of his only son – is revered and remembered by all these faiths.  Today, the Muslims – all over the world – celebrate ‘Eid’… in remembrance of Abrahams’ (Prophet Ibraheem’s) sacrifice of his only son. There is a d harga close to our housing complex. On the day of Ramzan or Eid, it is a sight to behold: a sea of worshipers, all dressed in immaculate white, march towards one direction – the dharga/the mosque… as the prayers are said on the loudspeakers… It is all, so beautifully scheduled… the direction the faithful face, the position they take, the reverence… the synchrony… and, the hope. For years, I have been ...

Two goats lived on either side of a mountain. Every day, they would leave home looking for pastures. On their way, they had to pass through a very narrow bridge that stood over a deep river.  One day, the goats faced each other right in the middle of the narrow bridge… and, both, were unwilling to make way for the other. “Step aside,” screamed the first goat, “let me pass.” “No way,” protested the other goat, “it is my way… or no way!” So, they locked their horns… and, started pushing and charging at each other… till their stubbornness took them to the edge of the narrow bridge. And, finally, both of them went crashing down into the fierce river which gushed deep down! I love this old story. Particularly, when I tend to lock my horns with another person… another goat! Look at the funny side of the story. The goats had left home seeking food. If they had focused on their goal -  the food, they would have, certainly, ...

When I say “Sorry” to someone, and I really mean it, I expose to him my vulnerable side. If I do that - and, as I said, really meaning it - then, I have nothing left in me to defend myself!   “Peace is extremely important to both of us… So, I offer this unconditional apology to you… Please accept it… Do not keep any doubts; do not ask me any more questions… Do not remind me of any of my past mistakes - harsh words, or painful wounds… All that I can say is: I need your help to heal my wounds… and you need my help to heal your own… Let’s make peace as our conscious choice… and, let’s do it unconditionally.”… This is what goes through my mind, every time I expose my vulnerability and say “Sorry”. I yearn that the other person will accept my olive branch… that, he will not ask me any more questions… will not probe me further, remind me of my past mistakes… will not revive the pain of those wounds… Yes, I yearn for his helping hand… and, and I yearn for...

  I watched the movie – ‘OMG’ – twice! Both the times, I saw in the theatre a mixed crowd – of all faiths and ages. And, I also saw them enjoying the movie thoroughly. Whatever the movie is trying to attack - our blind practice of religious rituals, our gullibility to self-serving priests and gurus… yes, we all know that, they are outright ‘stupid’, ‘dumb’. And, interestingly, we all laughed at our own buffoonery as we watched this movie… In deed, it was a real ‘OMG experience’! Kanji Bhai is, ruthlessly, an atheist. And, ironically, God comes to reside in his house… and, that too, at a time, this rebel has dragged God to the court! In one of the scenes, Kanji Bhai questions God: “I am an atheist… I don’t believe in you. Then, why have you chosen to reside in my house?” “Because,” God tells Kanji Bhai, gently, “only a true atheist can be a true theist!” I loved this statement, so much! I, personally, endorse this idea. That,...