Gerald D'Cunha

B abies, pets and plants… What can be common among these? I think, they all can be our best stress-busters ! Well, I do not have little babies at home nor I have pets and plants. Still, I know they can be our great stress-busters…. When I was a little boy, back in our village, a couple of dogs, cats, chickens, cows, buffaloes, even pigs (in Christian homes) was not only a common sight, but also was mandatory… Plants and trees, by default, grew in every garden or backyard… and, Babies? All that was we did not have around was: the fantastic technology, like our mobile cameras to capture the amazing stories and the internet and social media to showcase those images and memories… But, babies, pets and plants… yes, they always warmed our hearts and melted down our stress. Yesterday, during our PD session, I had shown a scene from the movie, ‘Taare Zameen Par’. Ishaan’s teacher, Nikumbh Sir (Aamir Khan) has a visitor in his hostel room – Ishaan’s...

I am brave, I am bruised I am who I'm meant to be, this is me Look out 'cause here I come And I'm marching on to the beat I drum I'm not scared to be seen I make no apologies, this is me -      From the song ‘This Is Me’ (;The Greatest Showman) O ne of my favourite English movies is ‘The Greatest Showman’ (2017). It’s based on the life of P.T. Barnum, who founded the famous American Circus company ‘Barnum & Bailey Circus’. He lived between 1810-1891… That’ some 200 years ago. But, he lived with a hundred dreams in his head… He dreamed big dreams, off-beat dream, and, above all, with his heart unapologetically ambitious … The movie ‘The Greatest Showman’ is a great musical. Every song has beautiful – inspiring – lyrics. I, often, show some of these songs (particularly, ‘Never, Never’ and ‘This Is Me’) in our PD sessions. Of course, there is a definite reason why I show these songs to our young ones… Listen to this one: ...