Gerald D'Cunha

  “And we will lie down on the ground and have conversations with the   grasses and the flowers.” Avijeet Das   I had taught Pooja, now a dear friend, right through her junior and degree college days. It was more than twenty-five years ago. She was extremely committed, focused, and, yes, ambitious. These attributes rewarded her with success she deserved… She became a CA at a very young age, added many more specialized degrees… authored a couple of books on Financial subjects, lectured extensively at many premier institutes… and, for reasons best left tucked in her heart, she chose to remain single… Is she happy in life? I haven’t asked Pooja… Nor has she asked me the same question after thirty years of my own marriage… “Sir, are you happy in life?” Some months before the Covid situation broke out, Pooja had moved to Chennai on a lucrative assignment. She is still there. Presently, she has been sharing with us the pictures and videoes of her latest ‘achievem...

  “True miracle is not walking on water or walking in air, but simply walking on this earth.” Thich Nhat Hanh   E verything I have learnt in life has not been taught to me by my school and college teachers, parents or grandparents, or by my spiritual teachers. Yes, I have learnt a great deal from them. But, the most valuable lessons, which I have learnt in my life, often, I have learnt by being quiet… watching the sky and the sea, the grass and the grasshopper, the just-born and the just-dead… I have learnt many, many lessons from strangers and, even, from my oppressors… Like these simple things, which I have consciously embraced to practice in my life… To address people – including the parents of my students - as ‘Sir’ and ‘Madam’; regardless of their age, education or position… To rise when I greet people in person… I feel, I should follow this more and more often… Just rise… To add that personal touch in my every conversation – be it on SMS, WhatsApp, FB, em...

I s the playful, curious and enthusiastic child in us responsible for our zest for life? I think, he is. The moment that inner child in us ceases to be playful, curious and enthusiastic, we all cease to live zestfully… Last night, like millions all over the world were, I, too, was hugely impresses and inspired watching 87-year-old Mrs. Charulata Patel cheering for India from the packed stadium in  Edgbaston… She was wheelchair-bound… We learnt later, that she had undergone a bypass surgery of the heart twelve years ago, had a pacemaker planted inside her chest, had got her hipbone broken and fixed -   but, all this had not stopped her from   ‘participating’ in life like a young kid did… blowing horns, clapping, cheering, waving Indian flag. As much as the Indian team won our hearts, last night, Mrs. Patel won our hearts, too.   Yes, age is just a number. Zest for life is everything. Some people live long, but they...

E nthusiasm is not just another word… It’s another name for Life… a clear sign that we are alive and kicking! In our PD sessions, I take a hammer and convey this to our young ones and little ones, alike. Yesterday morning, we had our session from 8 to 10.30. It’s a summer vacation, you see. So, no matter how hard you ‘hammer’ it into the thick skulls of our young ones, some of them – mercifully, ‘some of them’ and not all – find it difficult to be regular or be punctual, or both. ‘Ki farak painda’ … Yes, what difference does it make? So, come as you please… But, you better be prepared to get the hammer, too… Hello, enthusiasm cannot be taught in the classrooms… You better pick it up, from here and there, by being hungry and thirsty in life… “What class is this?” I thunder… “Personality Development, Sir,” they respond… “Personality Development… My foot!” I hammer it hard, knowing well, that ‘My foot’ is not a nice way of ...

Pic.: Mini Milind Y ears ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found very effective – was telling a nice story in two tenses… the Present and the Past. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people, who were earnest about improving their English, with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and, then, tell it to someone… Ironically, I had first heard this story from a nun at a Small Christian Community (SCC) group… It brings a smile on my face every time I bend down to tie a cat around the ‘ashram-tree’… THE RITUAL OF TYING A CAT PAST: A   Swamiji taught his disciples, everyday, under the tree outside his ashram. While he taught, his ashram-cat ran around and disturbed his class. So, the Swamiji gave a standing instruction to his disciples that the cat had to be tied to the tree before he started his class.  From that day on, before the ...

We don’t like the hectic pace of life: the deadlines, rush, anxiety… worry and tension. No matter how well-organized we are, unexpected events pop up and our plans go haywire… Maybe, not always… but, many a times… Like… Our health issues or of our nearest and dearest ones… Unexpected financial commitments… Our subordinates remaining absent when we need them the most… Or, the boss wants us to be in the office when we are needed badly at home… Suppliers not delivering in time… Or, we are not able to deliver to customers in time… EMI’s staring at us… A scary tax or legal notice arrives by post… Someone is hell-bent to victimize you… Or, someone comes from nowhere and rams into your car from behind… yes, when you are, already, late to reach… You are stuck in the traffic… It is still as death! You have gotten into a nasty argument with the autowala or your neighbor … Your young daughter is still not home… it is 1 am… ...

My son had come for just two days from Pune (where he studies).  He had specially come to meet his grand-parents, who were to leave for Mangalore, this morning. So, as my wife’s parents were leaving for the airport, our son left for Pune. We had to bid farewell to both… our parents as well as our son! “Take care.”… “Have a safe journey.”… “We will call you, once you reach,”… this is for our parents. “Please call, once you reach,” this is to our son… And, all these things had to be conveyed through the warmth of our hugs. Hello, it is evening now… and, the warmth of our morning-hugs, I can still feel! We have already called our parents… and, they have reached safely… We did not wait for our son to call… We called him before he did. He, too, has reached safely… We miss them… There is this familiar vacuum… Hearts alone know what it is, how it is… and, why it is! Incidentally, today is the festive day of Diwali… Like ever...