Gerald D'Cunha

Pic.: Neerja Panchal If you ask me, today, as the curtain comes down on 2013, what would be my one prayer before God, I would reply, without even stopping for my next breath: “Lord, help me remain grateful, hopeful and cheerful.” In fact, in life, what else does matter? To wait for the problems in my life to get over in order to celebrate life, is being ignorant about life… As long as my life exists, my problems exist. So, to plead God to do away my problems is totally a wasteful exercise on my part… Perhaps, “Lord, give me strength, give me courage, give me wisdom… to handle my problems, to carry by share of burden in life,” yes, this seems to be a more sensible prayer… The more I look back on my years, the more I get convinced, that my problems have come and gone just as the clouds do in the sky… I get more and more convinced, that just as we should not lose faith in the bright Sun, who is momentarily covered by the Smokey clouds, w...

If everything in life is in a state of constant flux – ever changing, I would be a big fool if I hold on to my state, forever! As a young man, I, too, was hugely influenced by the famous lines: “A winner never quits… and a quitter never wins.” Today, when someone comes to me with that quote, I tell him, “Dear, in Life, there are times to stay put, and there are times to quit… A winner knows when.” No doubt, holding on is the mark of a successful man, a winner. They call it perseverance, persistence… the staying power… the stick-on strength. Well, the brave have it in their heart. They don’t give up easily… They endure… They stay long in the battle ground. It is only when we are challenged, driven to the wall, we tap on our reserves… the strength hidden within. Yes, unless we are challenged, we will never know what a powerhouse the heart is! Still, it is wise to know when to quit… when to give up. In Life, some struggle ...