Gerald D'Cunha

O ne of the toughest questions – in fact ‘THE’ toughest – I get to answer before my young students is:”Sir, what should I do after tenth?” I, also, encounter this question after twelfth and after T.Y, too… Frankly, some twenty years ago, when there were fewer options on Boards (SSC/ICSE/CBSE/IB etc) and, when there were fewer options after twelfth… Yes, I think, when options were fewer, it was easier for kids to choose… Now, more the options, the more the confusion! One of the biggest fall-outs of this ‘options-galore’ phenomenon is, that young ones come out too shallow in their academics without any depth… or love and passion for any particular subject or subjects… I come across this situation on a daily basis. It is difficult to bring about the depth, love and passion in young ones the way it was possible for us, the teachers, once… There is a story behind the choices most of us have made in life… I am talking about the career choices. Most of us have...

Pic.:Nishtha Narryani W hy do we try to ‘please’ others? Our personality trait of trying to please others is, certainly, not a healthy trait. For, it does not stem from our healthy self-esteem. Most of the times, we end up emerging hurt and abused by those who we are trying to please, so desperately. What about being gentle, dignified and graceful in our behavior towards others? When you are an approachable person, when you allow people to freely voice their complaints, when you listen to them with kindness... does it all mean you are trying to please them? Not at all! Being gentle and approachable, being patient and kind, are the finest traits which stem from our healthy self-esteem. Yes, when you are approachable, people may call you at odd hours, and they may drop in at any time of the day. But, with your gentleness and assertive strength, you can, always, handle this fall out. Similarly, if you are patient and if you...

M y 19-year-old son has come home for a short Diwali vacation. For the last two nights, he has been working on some creative piece with his laptop and pad. I sat beside him for quite some time watching the way he went about creating magic with his talent. I don’t remember saying much as I sat there, except a few things, here and there, showing my genuine curiosity. I made tea for him… and prepared his bed too as he went about his work. Then, I sat there, beside. Then, I fell asleep. Then, I woke up. Then, I fell asleep… But, I wanted to be there. Just beside him.  Some two days earlier, the day he had arrived from Pune, I sat with him till late into night. He put around me his headphone and guided me through all his favorite music videos. All of them were amazing… and, thoughtfully, he was exciting me with such videos he knew his dad would love. I did. In fact, I was hooked on to them, and he kept showing me more and more, though it was late, and though I had to leave early the ...