Gerald D'Cunha

“The kind of lies that someone tells us gives us an idea of how stupid, knowledgeable, intelligent, or ignorant they are … or they think we are.” ―  Mokokoma Mokhonoana I was talking to a friend of mine, this morning. The friend is no highly qualified; but, I consider him as one of the most cultured and ‘highly educated’ individuals in life… Well, that’s my assessment… As we were talking, I showed him some of the messages I was receive on social media. It was early morning… and, some of so-called ‘highly qualified’ individuals I was acquainted with had started sharing/forwarding posts which were extremely toxic, divisive and cheap. Most of these posts related to their affiliation with one particular religion or political ideology. They had a rigid stand and, viewed from that mirror, everything else and everyone else who opposed that stand was their enemy… It could be you and me. If we did not agree with what they thought was ‘right’,...

“Always think in terms of solutions. Focusing on the problems usually gives us more of them.”  ―  Sam Owen I f Life has problems, Life also has solutions. Putting it in another way, if there cannot be a Life without problems, there also cannot be a Life without solutions. I think, we have two kinds of people around us: those who live as part of this world’s problems and those who live as part of the solutions! Let’s take any problem in our personal life or in the world outside… and, let’s honestly examine our mindsets: on which side are we standing… as part of the problem or as part of the solution? I believe, that helping little kids foster a mindset of solution is the greatest service we can ever do to mankind. Whether we are reactive adults – always blaming, cribbing, complaining, conspiring and avenging… or proactive adults – always willing to take responsibility by offering and seeking help, with trus...

I n last one week, I heard two persons telling me this: “I am very busy… No time even to breathe!” And, I can tell them, whether they love me or hate me for saying this: It is a big, fat lie! There is enough time in hand with each one of us to do what we like to do… what we love to do. We do not have time to do those things which we do not like to do… do not love to do. The first person, a financial adviser, had a small transaction to be done with me on his computer, which would have taken him not even 10 minutes. His profession demands him to be on computer all day long… He is extremely net-savvy and I see him very active on social media… Still, when it came to this one simple task, he cited illness of one of his relatives and finally made that dramatic statement: “I am very busy… No time even to breathe!” The second person, a lady teacher, is exceptionally active on so many things, including social media… forwarding a hundred stupid things every day. A ...

J io may be a smart – rather ‘clever’ – business idea. But, ‘Jio free-lunch’ mindset is not. The old wisdom applies here: ‘There is no free lunch in this world’. Somebody, always, pays for your free lunch… Often, it is you who pays for the free lunch without you knowing about it! Weeks ago, Tarun*, one of my eleventh-standard students, argued with me for over fifteen minutes over the Jio free-offer. “Sir, you should go for it… What is wrong with you?” “Nothing wrong with me beta ,” I convinced my student, “I am happy with my Vodafone.” “But, sir, why don’t you grab what is free?” Tarun pressed, “Why pay when you get it free?” “There is nothing free in this world, dear,” I tried playing a philosopher, “Someone pays for it.” “I don’t care who pays for it, sir,” Tarun was clear about what he was talking about, “as long as I don’t pay for it.” That was weeks ago, when Jio was sending everyone dizzy… Now, after crossing - what Mukesh Ambani proudly c...

“Critics do not change the world.” I heard it from my friend, Vijay, last night. We were discussing about a couple men and women who we knew… We were wondering as to what made these people so critical, skeptical and combative for years on. No amount of good words prevailed upon these men and women… No amount of love and openness could move them… Criticism, doubt, accusations, allegations and, above all, a combative and vindictive mindset… yes, non-stop. “These people normally do not change,” Vijay told me, “They are wired that way… to be skeptical, critical and combative… even vengeful.” “Often, those who criticize others,” says Shannon L. Alder, “Reveal what they themselves lack.” Well, every day while leaving home, all of us have the same two options: One, to leave home with our arms out-stretched to embrace… with trust, forbearance, love and brotherhood… Two, to step out into this world with our fisted-hands tightly crossed...

Pic.: Sudha Ahuja “DON’T TELL US WHAT TO WEAR, TELL THEM NOT TO STARE” “G irls invite their own trouble.” Yes, this was the topic for debate, today, in our PD session. Surprisingly, the very first girl, a seventeen-year-old, spoke in support of the topic. The rest of the girls were angry… When eighteen-year-old Pranav began to justify his stand in support of the topic, the young-ladies were all up against him… “If boys can wear anything and go out anytime, why can’t girls?” they were asking angrily. “Don’t boys invite their own trouble, when they wear whatever they like and go wherever and whenever they wish?” Eighteen-year-old Aditya spoke against the topic. Instead of trying to impose restrictions on the way girls dressed or on where and when they went, he vehemently argued, that boys should grow up and change the way they view and treat girls. “During the Nirbhaya rape-protests in Delhi, a young girl was carrying this poster – ‘...

Pic.: Manjeet Singh Kukreja “Selling millions of records is great; but, at the end of the day, it really doesn't bring peace.” - Toby Mac O n some days, some words or phrases keep coming to your lips… and, they come straight from your heart. Today, it was ‘In good faith’… I have used it, today, in my conversation with, at least, ten people! What was I trying to achieve through the use of this phrase? Was I trying to ‘sell’ them something, make hem believe in me, or, in I was trying to present before them? Though I fully believe, that, in this world, each and every one ‘sells’… and, though I know, that, if you have a fantastic product, service or idea and do not know how to present it to those who it is meant to reach, then, there is something wrong with your approach and attitude. Yes, though I fully believe in this theory – rather, the reality – I refuse to believe, that we should ‘mislead’, ‘hard-sell’ whatever we want to promote. ...

Pic.: Rajiv Sharma S ome weeks ago, I stopped to have a roadside sandwich. Next to him, there was a tea vendor with his kettle. By the time, I asked for my cup, the kettle was empty. I needed tea desperately. So, I asked him innocently, “Where else can I get tea; I badly need it.” The man gave me an indifferent look, and said nothing. Then, I asked the same with the sandwich vendor. The indifference was no different. “Brother, I asked where else can I find some tea?” I repeated with irritation. “No idea,” the sandwich man mumbled looking to a nowhere land! “There,” the guy who stood next to me said, pointing to the place right across the road. Right opposite... and, I hadn't seen it as I was not familiar to that place... I crossed the road shaking my head... “How insecure people can be!” I t was not the first such experience... Nor, I am the only one to go through such an experience. ‘Lack’ is the righ...

Pic.: Chetna Shetty I have never   believed   much in luck, and my   sense of humor   has tended to walk on the dark side. Hunter S. Thompson I t is interesting to listen to young-ones when they debate on the topic: “Do I Believe in Luck.” Normally, they either speak taking a stand – “Yes, I believe”... or, “I don’t believe.” While debating, the stand helps them speak with force and conviction. And, some of them try to sit on the fence... and, invariably, it doesn't help them to leave an impact on the audience. However, this morning, Yash began by saying, “Yes, I believe... No, I don’t believe.” I was about to judge him too early and tell him, “Don’t sit on the fence, dear.” But, then, I let Yash speak. And, believe me, he really did a good job. He took out leaves from his life in support of why he believed in luck... and why did didn’t. The examples were about their family business... the one started by his grandp...

Pic.: Amrita Jeurkar on my way back from the bank, I just saw a couple of young-kids preparing the ‘old-man’. These young kids, literally, live on the streets… Their shanties are built right along the roads and, they have nothing as their roof except some torn plastic sheets… This is biting cold these days, and I see them sleeping at night outside their shanties, right on the open streets…practically, half naked… leave alone the blankets and thick sheets! So, today, when I just saw those young kids stuffing in the old-man’s body with whatever they could lay their hands on, I know, that they, too, are excited as I am to burn behind their past and embrace with hope and open arms the New-Year to come… Yes, like me, they, too, have hopes and dreams… Like me, they, too, expect a bright and prosperous New-Year… Like me, they, too, want to celebrate the coming of New-Year… Will the New-Year be bright and pr...