Gerald D'Cunha

C hristmas Eve has been a special time for most of us. Many of my non-Christian friends look forward to this day. The night mass (which is still referred to be ‘The Midnight Mass’, though in most of the cities, it gets over before midnight) is one of the many things they look forward to attend… “My son has come on a Christmas vacation from Australia,” Kannan said to me when we met in our Tai Chi class, today, “He, my wife and I have always loved to attend the Midnight Mass on the OLPS (Our Lady of Perpetual Succor) grounds… We are excited to be there tonight.” Kannan also recounted their visit to the Shirdi shrine some days ago. I love his open-mindedness when it comes to religious beliefs and practices. I have heard him speak with loads of respect whenever he would speak about faiths other than his own. “When my son was leaving the country, for the first time, to pursue his higher studies in Australia, he asked me to take our car to OLPS church. He wen...

“W hat is easily available, often, not much valued,” said Kannan, in our Tai Chi class, this morning. Late, last evening, Girija ma’am, his wife, had sent me a message: “Gerry, the movie ‘The Walk’ is being aired on TV channel Star Movies, now.” When this movie, “The Walk’ was released two years ago, I had watched it in the theatre and, on following Sunday, I had raved about it in the Tai Chi class. Kannan, who is selective about movies, had watched it with his wife and was highly impressed. Girija ma’am knew about it, and, so, she had messaged me about the movie being shown on TV, last evening. “Sir, did you watch ‘The Walk’ on TV yesterday?” I asked Kannan, today. “I was out yesterday,” Kannan told me, “So, I could watch only the last part… But, what a movie it is!” Kannan went on to rave about it for the next ten minutes. “There are so many life lessons in that movie,” he said, “To me, it is not just about wire-walking… It’s about life!" I remembe...

I t’s the break-time in our Tai Chi class, this morning. “Do you keep yourself in touch with politics?” I asked Kannan. “Just something here and there,” Kannan said, “I don’t take political parties’ rhetoric – their promises and accusations - too seriously.” He told me an old management story… A Turkey always envied the Eagle who sat majestically on the top of the tree. One day, he expressed his feelings before his friend, the Bull. “My friend, I wish to sit like the Eagle at the top of this tree, but, I don’t have the required energy.” “Is that your problem?” said the Bull, “Believe me, my droppings are very nutritious… Why can’t you try?” Turkey believed in his friend’s words and took a few bites of the dung. “Wow! It’s working!” The Turkey could manage to reach the first branch, that very moment! The next day, some more bites of his friend’s dung, and the Turkey was on the send branch! On the third day, on the third branch! Only one more branch a...

“I saw few die of hunger; of eating, a hundred thousand.” - Benjamin Franklin I saw Kannan in our Tai Chi class after many Sundays. “All is all?” I enquired.”Seeing you after a long time.”  “Oh yes, all is well,” Kannan replied in his gung-ho style, “September-November are my months of hibernation… I go into my cave… They are less productive. In November, I come out.”   Today, Kannan and I were discussing about the food habits… “If our stomachs are fine, we are fine,” Kannan said, “as they say, we are what we eat.” The habit of eating light, putting less strain on our stomachs is a habit, like all healthy habits, we need to cultivate with discipline. What works for us at our young age doesn’t work for us when we grow old… Heavy food at night, particularly late in the night, is a major cause for most of our health issues. Kannan shared with me the way he had brought about changes in his eating habits. He emphasized on the time-teste...

M y colony friend, Vijay, had migrated to Bangaluru to take up a new job assignment starting from 1 st  of this month. Since his four-year-old son Shiva’s academic year is yet to end, Vijay’s wife and son would be joining him after the completion of this school-year. While leaving for my Tai Chi class, this morning, I was delighted to see Vijay on his motor bike, with Shiva proudly sitting in front of his dad. It was Vijay’s first home-coming since his migration to Bangaluru… “So Shiva, daddy has come… You are happy?” I ran my hand over little-fellow’s head. The little head nodded with a huge blush on the face… The daddy and the son were on their way for a hair-cut… I placed myself behind Vijay on the motor bike… When I reached Tai Chi class, I was happy to see Kannan almost after 2-3 weeks. I knew that he was busy with his son’s migration to Australia to do Masters. Thus, I asked, “Kannan sir, son has gone?” “Yes, he has gone,” Kannan replied. “...