Gerald D'Cunha

Pic.: Alex D “But smiles and tears are so alike with me, neither of them confined to any particular feelings: I, often, cry when I am happy, and smile when I am sad.” ―  Anne Bronte A couple of days ago, Mrs., Patel, sent me this message: “Good morning sir. Shreeshay (son) had come 2nd in his college for drama monologue. And I give all the credit to you (The Dawn Club) as he got an opportunity to perform as a host and experience to organize such event. So, thank you for the grooming. I really appreciate your efforts .” I quickly replied:  “Hi ma'am, I am really glad and proud. Please convey my wishes to Shreeshay and would like to see him shine more. Love.” The same evening, Jeet, who currently pursues his MBA, called me up. He said: “Sir, I just felt strongly inside that I should thank you,” ‘Why, what happened, Jeet?” I enquired.   “Sir, today, I had to lead the group presentation...

Pic.: Vinod Vazirani “It is your response to winning and losing that makes you a winner or a loser.” - Harry Sheehy C arolina Marin of Spain definitely played better than Sindhu, yesterday. So, she deserved the Gold. And, our Sindhu? I, too, watched the badminton (singles) Olympics finals, last evening (on my cell-phone), along with my wife. And, I did that like all my fellow-Indians and like all others who rooted for Sindhu. I wanted her to win… and, when she did win the first game, I felt immensely happy. But, then, I knew, somewhere along, that it would be Carolina… and not Sindhu. That’s sports. True sports. The winner takes it all… Well, this Post is not about winning and losing in Olympics. This is about that amazing quality called sportsmanship… which, our Sindhu, delightfully displayed after she lost that all-important contest, watched by millions of people, all over the world. It is that little gesture which Sindhu exhibited by goi...

Pic.: Chetna Shetty Y ears ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found it very useful – was telling a nice story in two tenses… Past and Present. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people who were earnest to improve their English with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and tell it to someone. This popular Aesop’s fable was one of the earliest childhood stories I had heard. But, the temptation seems so familiar and lifelong! THE GOOSE THAT LAID GOLDEN EGG PAST: I n a certain town, there lived a man and his wife. They owned a goose which was special. It laid a golden egg every morning. This made the couple reasonably rich and happy. But, one morning, after the goose had laid the day’s egg, the wife said to her husband, “This goose just gives us only one golden egg a day. Just imagine how quickly we can become wealthy if we could have all ...

Pic.: Avinash Mantri Y ears ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found it very useful – was telling a nice story in two tenses… Past and Present. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people who were earnest to improve their English with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and tell it to someone. The English phrase ‘Crocodile tears’   (false tears/ insincere display of emotion)   derives from an ancient belief that   crocodiles   shed   tears while consuming their prey. But, then, I would love to believe that our own popular Panchatantra-story has something to do with it… CROCODILE TEARS PAST: O n the banks of a river stood a huge mango tree. On the tree lived a monkey. A crocodile often came near the tree to eat the mangoes dropped by the monkey. The monkey and the crocodile became good friends. One day, the crocod...

Pic.: Avinash Mantri Y ears ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found it very useful – was telling a nice story in two tenses… Past and Present. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people who were earnest to improve their English with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and tell it to someone. The English phrase ‘Crocodile tears’   (false tears/ insincere display of emotion)   derives from an ancient belief that   crocodiles   shed   tears while consuming their prey. But, then, I would love to believe that our own popular Panchatantra-story has something to do with it…    CROCODILE TEARS PAST: O n the banks of a river stood a huge mango tree. On the tree lived a monkey. A crocodile often came near the tree to eat the mangoes dropped by the monkey. The monkey and the crocodile became good friends. One da...

Pic.: Chetna Shetty Y ears ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found it very useful – was telling a nice story in two tenses… Past and Present. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people who were earnest to improve their English with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and tell it to someone. Today, the English phrase ‘Lion’s Share’ means a ‘bigger share’ or ‘better share’. But, long time ago, it meant ‘everything’. THE LION’S SHARE PAST: O ne day, Lion, the king of the jungle, went for hunting. He took along some of his friends for help. By the end of the day, they gathered a large pile of meat… It was time for sharing. The lion made four equal parts. Pointing at the first share, the lion roared, “I am the king of the jungle. So, this share belongs to me. Any problem… Any objection?” “No sire,” the animals replied. Pointing at ...

Pic.: Chetna Shetty Y ears ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found it very useful – was telling a nice story in two tenses… Past and Present. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people who were earnest to improve their English with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and tell it to someone. I have narrated this story to young Achilles’ in  our P.D. sessions countless times. Yes, to convey to them as to what the English phrase, ‘Achilles’ Heel’, really means. ‘Achilles Heel’ is our weak spot … Our vulnerable area. But, then, it no longer refers to a physical weak spot. Today, it refers to a psychological and character-related weak spot. Hope, the legend of Achilles doesn’t cease to inspire… ACHILLES’ HEEL PAST: I n Greek mythology, Achilles was a great warier. The legend has it, that when he was born, it was foretold, that he would di...

Pic.: Vincent D'Souza Y ears ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found it very useful – was telling a nice story in two tenses… Past and Present. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people who were earnest to improve their English with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and tell it to someone. Well, don’t tell me “I know this story.” WHO WILL BELL THE CAT? PAST: T here was a grocer’s shop where a large number of mice resided. The mice feasted on fresh cheese, biscuits, wheat, rice and sugar and lived there happily. But, the grocer was a worried man… He worried about his losses and thought of putting an end to the mice menace. Thus, he brought a hefty cat and placed it in his shop. The cat began to catch and eat mice one by one… The mice were so terrorized that they dared not to come out of their holes. Then, one day, when the ca...