Gerald D'Cunha

“Chiquitita tell me the truth I’m a shoulder you can cry on” From the ABBA song – ‘Chiquitita’ O ne of the comforting moments, during these days of lockdown, is when you receive a quote, a video with a reassuring message from someone who really cares for you. During these many weeks of stay-at-home, I have been touched by many of them. Maybe, it’s not the quote or video, per se, that has made my heart melt, but, I suppose, it’s the openness of my heart – how ready it is to receive them. It really amazes me to see how my heart responds… Even a very ordinary message or an old, often-heard song, now, all of a sudden, comes to stir me… make a lot of sense… and, yes, provide comfort and reassurance. These are bleak days for all of us. We may live in our mansions or in our huts… But, the Time seems to have stopped for all of us! Sheetal, an old friend, who hadn’t been in touch with me for a long time, sent, last night, these words… “N...

S ome ten years ago, I had published for THE DAWN CLUB one of our popular books, ‘Vaachas Chame’ – Grant me the Power of Expression. I had started the book with this passage: He had heard that from Kanyakumari, one could catch the majestic sight of the rising sun. So, this man travelled all the way from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to watch the surnrise. The day came and he reached the Point quite in time. However, as there were a few minutes still left for the glorious sight, he decided to catch a wink. When he opened his eyes, it was all over! And, I had ended the book with this passage Then, one day, back home in Kashmir, he arose early in the morning. It was still dark and everyone was still asleep. When he saw from the window, he felt in his heart a newness he had never felt before… And the stillness and the awe of outside darkness filled him with a gratitude he was never familiar with before. And, behold! He could see the r...