Gerald D'Cunha

    “Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is to admit, that you need a hand.” quotezenith.com   O ne of my PPT’s ends with Jesus’ words: “Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”   This PPT is targeted at young boys and girls, who need help in developing their self-confidence in life. From my own experience, I am convinced, that, in life, we cannot do it alone. I mean, though one’s success is one’s own responsibility, one needs help along the way… I could not do it alone, even though I pride myself saying, “I am an Ekalavya.” Think about it: Didn’t Ekalavya need Guru Dhrona’s idol for worship – to seek blessings and inspiration?” There is no shame – and there should not be any hesitation or fear – in seeking help from people around us. The people around means, those who we trust, value and care, and vice versa. We do have enough number of people to count on… Trust me, we all do. ...

  “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” Mark Twain   A fter concluding my regular Accountancy class (Class 12) at 5.30, last evening, I was to hurry up to take a session on ‘Personality Development’ for the underprivileged students in a nearby slum area (Organized by an NGO). Some 20-30 kids were expected to be there. The 17-year-old Arfaat had attended my regular Accountancy class, and he was to accompany me for the PD session, too. As it was pouring heavily, I requested Arfaat to get an autorickshaw to my classes. In a few minutes, Arfaat returned, drenched fully despite a wind sheeter he wore… “Where is the auto?” I asked him. “Sir, it is there,” he pointed to the auto waiting a few meters away from my classes. “Ask him to come in,” I said to Arfaat… Arfaat, my gentle-natured student, went back to the auto and conveyed my request… Through the heavy down pour, I could see the a...

  “Imperfections are not inadequacies. They are the reminders, that we’re all in this together.” Brene Brown   O ver the years, I have learnt to make peace with my imperfections. In fact, if I have developed in my heart, today, a deep feeling of worthiness – that is, being capable of loved and belonged and being capable of loving and belonging – it stems from this inner peace… “It’s okay to be imperfect; we all are!” That, in short, is the story of our self-esteem journey. Finding perfection in our imperfections! But, it is not an easy journey,   Sir. What I learnt, in the process of dealing with my own imperfections was, that the more and more I recognized them in me, the more and more I was able to accept them. Thus, the first roadblock along this journey is our refusal to see our imperfections, because of the blinders we tend to wear, the denial we choose to blanket our imperfections. Once I learnt to recognize my imperfections, the next thing needed ...

“What happens when people open their hearts?" "They get better.” ―  Haruki Murakami A funny thing about living in this world is this: When others fail, I have loads of encouraging words. “Don’t lose heart… Failure is the stepping stone to success,” I console them magnanimously, and almost like a sage! But, when I fail, I am harsh on myself: “Stupid idiot… Useless fellow… A loser,” and all that. Instead of a gentle pat on my back, I get from myself a nasty kick! So, that’s the familiar funny story: I am gentle for others, but harsh for myself! I, always, have a helpline for others’ problems… When they are sad and lost, I seem to have solutions… Plenty of them. But, when I am sad and lost, my world seems to be dark and hopeless. Yes, it’s true: each one of us needs a helpline. Just as how, when others approach us, we are ever willing to offer help and advice – emotional help – yes, just as that, if we approach o...

“The strongest love is the love that can demonstrate its fragility.” ―  Paulo Coelho M any things make me special… One of them is my vulnerability. If I have to put it in simplest of words, being vulnerable means to open my heart before someone by trusting him or her. When I do that, I make myself defenseless… I know it can break my heart… I can get wounded in the process. If so, why don’t I, always, guard myself… stonewall? I have tried to but failed. Opening my heart, by trusting a person I love, respect, care… yes, it comes easily to me. The main outcome of my openness – vulnerability – is that, it makes me feel better… Light… Loved and lovable… Strong. On the other hand, when I stonewall my feelings, guard too much… don’t reveal my human side, it, invariably makes me stone-like…   The world calls some heartless and some heartfelt… And, you know why the world does it so! Despite getting wounded, le...

“Real dishes break. That's how you know they're real.” ―  Marty Rubin S ome of my most powerful experiences have sprung  from my most vulnerable moments…  Just as I feel love in my bosoms when the walls around my heart collapse…  Just as I feel the touch of God’s hand when I go on my knees…  Just as I feel the freedom  in my soul when I say ‘I forgive you’…  Just as I feel cleansed when I say ‘I am sorry’…  Just as I feel happiest, noblest and strongest when I say ‘I need your help’… I am what I am because of my tender side… the side which is very, very fragile… which gets hurt, anxious, insecure, yearns, dreams, cries, prays and, above all, hopes and soars… just as every man and a woman, here on this planet, does… Some days ago, a young mother, who was present during our PD session along with her young one, sent me a message a few hours after the session: “Thank you Sir… I really, really loved your session. You are im...

I was talking to a new member in our Tai Chi class, yesterday. It was an interesting discussion; rather… it left me smiling. During the course of our discussion, our new member said,  “My job situation is like a pressure cooker, full of tension. I went out for a couple of days and  to ‘throw out’ all my tension.” “Did you succeed?” our Tai Chi sir asked. “Totally,” the new member said with loads of exuberance, “I am totally free, now!” I should have shut up my mouth. But, by now, I had already said this: “Sir, in my case, what I have found is, that, wherever I go, I carry my mind, too… I carry my all my tensions and anxieties, too. I have found it difficult to drop them fully and come back.” “That’s the mistake you are making,” the gentleman said, “You should throw out all your tensions.” “But, sir, how?” I asked sincerely, “You know how the mind is.” “I want you to do only one thing: Watch the video of Sandeep Maheshwari,” the g...

I was talking to a new member in our Tai Chi class, yesterday. It was an interesting discussion; rather… it left me smiling. During the course of our discussion, our new member said,  “My job situation is like a pressure cooker, full of tension. I went out for a couple of days  to ‘throw out’ all my tension.” “Did you succeed?” Rakesh, our Tai Chi sir asked. “Totally,” the new member said with loads of exuberance, “I am totally free, now!” I should have shut my mouth. But, by now, I had already said this: “Sir, in my case, what I have found is, that, wherever I go, I carry my mind, too… I carry my all my tensions and anxieties, too. I have found it difficult to drop them fully and come back.” “That’s the mistake you are making,” the gentleman said, “You should throw out all your tensions.” “But, sir, how?” I asked sincerely, “You know how the mind is.” “I want you to do only one thing: Watch the video of Sandeep Maheshwari,”...