IN LOVE, NOTHING IS WRITTEN ON THE HARD ROCK










These two students of mine are in their final-year B.M.S. (Bachelor in Management Studies). Their college starts at 1:30 in the afternoon. So, at what time should they get up from their bed?

I have been teaching them Financial Accounts, Management Accounts and Taxation subjects over these three years. But, one thing I have not been able to teach them well: is the importance of managing their time well…

These two young men simply cannot come in time… Because, they simply cannot get up from their beds early. My gentle persuasion, firm instructions and even angry outbursts – yes, despite all these - my two boys are chilled about this issue.

“I will not tolerate,” I gave the ultimatum, yesterday, to my young ones, “even a single minute late.”

Well, as much as I blow hot, I, also, blow cold. I write nothing on the hard rock, nothing. I know they are capable of getting off their beds early, as they once did when they were little boys. For years, they did get off their beds early and made it to their schools before 7. They did that as little children - maybe, with a little nudging from their parents at home. But, now, these boys are young men… They are in their finally year of graduation… They are about to face campus interviews in a few months… They also plan to do MBAs. And, when I see them repeatedly unable to get off the beds early and keep their commitments, I blow it hot to them: “Sweethearts, if you cannot manage this simple thing about you, I wonder how you will manage companies tomorrow!”

They do not dispute what I say. For, they know, that what I say is a plain truth.

They have promised me, that they would be there, today, in time… “Not a minute late”!

And, what if they break their promise?

I am their teacher, and, I will blow hot and blow cold, again… I will not give up on them. But, certainly, I will not write it on the hard rock… I will write it on the sand…

For, I have changed many of my own bad-old habits…

And, I have faith in my young boys: They, too, will.


In Love, nothing is written on the hard rock… Yes, everything is written on the sand!


GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Aparna Khanolkar Sheth


Comments

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

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 ...
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 pain...
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...