Gerald D'Cunha

“What is a hero without love for mankind.” Doris Lessing F rankly, I wasn’t feeling motivated at all to write, today. The last thing I wanted to write was one more gloomy post. I have been extremely sad and angry, last few days, on seeing how heartless some of us could be – even during times like these… ignorance, hatred, poison! Just as I was feeling hopeless, came this very, very inspiring story from England… The story of Captain Tom Moore, a veteran war-hero, who served in Burma and India during the World War 2… And, what a story that was! I thank my friend Reshma, who lives in London, for reigniting hope in my soul, by sending this story, just a while ago… The story of Captain Tom Moore – which, as his family says, is no longer their story, but a ‘global story’ - goes like this… Some weeks ago, the war veteran made a small private resolve… that, before completing his 100 th birthday by this April end, he would complete 100 laps, ...

“K eep no expectations,” the free advice goes, “you won’t be disappointed.” As I said, it is a free advice… You get it from everyone around you, everywhere.  I give it you, you give it to me and they all give it to you and me! All free! Can we really live in this world keeping no expectations? I have tried and I have failed… I don’t know about you. What I know is this: Every act - every gesture - I do towards others, I do keep my expectations while doing it. When my expectations are met, I feel happy… and when they are not met, I feel unhappy. Yes, my disappointments come when people do not thank me enough, compliment me enough, compensate me enough, love and care for me enough… when they do not behave as I expect them to… when they keep doing things which I don’t want them to… when they say things I don’t want to hear… and when they come home when I want to be left alone… and so on… I also know this: becau...