Gerald D'Cunha

“The future has a way of arriving  unannounced.” George F. Will Y ears ago, during our Public-speaking sessions, Mr. T.R. Ramakrishnan, our senior-most instructor, would motivate young ones not to give up trying. He would emphatically tell them: “My dear young friends, some flowers, always, boom late; but, remember, they give the finest fragrance.” Sitting amongst our young ones, I would feel so optimistic about my own life… I had been a late bloomer myself. So, I knew how true that statement was! Soon, I wrote and published a small book by the title – ‘THE LATE BLOOMER’. It was loved by so many readers, both young and old alike. REFLECTION : In life, there is no need to be anxious about our growth or development, looking at people around us. All of us, here, are supposed to grow in our own gardens, and at our own time. And, yes, when we do, we all spread our own special fragrance in this world. Mr. Ramakrishnan, our Sir, would call that fragrance – ‘The Finest Fragr...

Today, the SSC results are out in Maharashtra. I have received so many messages from either the students or their parents telling me proudly about the results. None of them has scored below 85%. Today, when some one says he or she has scored 89% 0r 93%, not many eyebrows go up. It is great news… but that news is so common, today. This post is not inspired by these ‘achievers’, but by a ‘loser’. Just a stone throw away from my classes, this family lives. The young man has scored a Glorious 45%! And, understandably, the young man’s father, a simple office assistant, has gone crazy. “He has shattered my hopes,” the distressed father goes about telling. Their neighbour’s son has scored 92%... and our young man is not even half way this ladder! “It’s okay; he will surely do well in life,” I consoled the father. “Do well? With 45%?” the look almost scared me to death. Did I simply do a lip service to this heart-broken man, or did I really mean what I said? About thirty-five years ag...