Gerald D'Cunha

  “I’ve found, that no matter what life throws at me, music softens the blow.” Bryce W. Anderson I t was Hans Christian Andersen who had said, “Where words fail, music speaks.” One of the most played, sung, recorded, performed and hummed  songs is the Spanish song ‘La Paloma’. It was written by a Spanish song writer by the name Sabastian Iradier, nearly 150 years ago. But, then, as many other most beautiful creations, the creator of this beautiful songs, too, died in obscurity… It was only after he’s gone, the song travelled across the globe and underwent countless versions…  World’s most renowned musicians and singers have added t heir own touch to this masterpiece…Every version leaves the listener moved even though he/she doesn’t understand its lyrics… Well, translated ‘La Paloma’ mean s ‘The Dove’… It’s a beautiful love song. But, then, who needs words when music can speak? I keep listening to ‘La Paloma’ regularly; sometimes, all through the day… and, yes, ...

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” Socrates W ell, let’s accept the fact, that none of us here, on this planet, knows everything. And, none of us is fully prepared for the onslaught of change. But, learning has, always, been the outcome of our childlike curiosity, our sense of wonder and our ability to take risks by walking the less-trodden path. This was so since the beginning of time… It’s the quest that has been driving man to learn more and more and more. Therefore, the time we now live in – time of Information Technology – is not the end of Time… It’s just one more passage of time. You and I are simply happened to be here through this passage… Yes, let’s accept the fact, that, today, the information and knowledge are available ready on the platter for each one of us… They are right there at our fingertips. If any of us is still complaining, he/she being plain lazy… It’s an excuse. We all can make the best use of the inform...

“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” Aldous Huxley T hanks to the lockdown, I have been able to watch scores of Bruce Springsteen’s music videos. His songs and music are the ‘Stories of Life’ as Jon   Stewart said in Bruce’s honour at the Kennedy Center (2009). Listen to Jon … As per the tradition, earlier that day, President Obama had hosted a small party at the White House. In his speech, he had said, “I am the President; but, he is The Boss’ (referring to Bruce’s famous music album. Listen to Obama: ‘Stories of life’ and ‘He empties his tank’ – yes, these are powerful image-words about the life and work of Bruce Springsteen. His songs are the stories of hard life, the life of the underdogs – you and me… Simple, straight and forceful. Perhaps, that’s the reason why you see so many li’l kids, young men and women and elderly at his concerts – his ‘empties his tank’ for them… ‘through the...

“The most curious offspring of shame  is shyness.” Sydney Smith “M usic is the same, the laughter is not.” This's how I reacted when I first watched this video. Let’s watch it again… The bunch of these l’le kids are in their music class… The music teacher plays the same playful music… Yes, on same strings, with same variation of speed. But, look at the way these kids react to it so differently! Undoubtedly, the l’le champ at the center gets all the eyeballs… Unmistakably, his reaction is just priceless, just infectious! What about other kids around him? Look at each one… And, each one of them has his/her unique response. Now, let’s imagine ourselves as those kids, in the same music class. Or, imagine our kids in their place. Let’s get in touch with our own reactions: Would we all want ourselves, or our kids, to be like the boy in the spotlight? Every time, someone, out there, hogs all the spotlight, many of us wish ourselves or our...

M usic and mediation! I, often, wonder if both are same… Early this morning, I was listening to Yani’s popular piece – ‘Nostalgia’. Frankly, when we soak in this kind of music, there is no need to meditate separately… For, music is mediation! Let me share with you some of my favourite quotes on meditation alongside some my favourite pieces of music from Yani… Hope, you, too, will say ‘Music is meditation’… “I said to my soul, ‘Be still and wait without hope, for hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love, for love would be love for the wrong thing; there is yet love, but faith and love are all in the waiting; wait without thought, for you are not ready for the thought. So, the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.”   - T.S. Eliot “Mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With ea...

S ome things are meant to be! It’s never advisable to stop a river from flowing the way it’s supposed to. And, whenever we do, it finds its own way to the sea, somehow. We all have seen it… There is this river in all of us, called our ‘talent’. What about that? I think, our talents, too, flow the way they are supposed to. Elvis Presley was a gifted singer and performer. It was he who sang the famous song, “I can’t help falling in love with you.” To me, that song is as much a metaphor about life as it seems to be on its face - romantic. Yes, it’s a romantic song… But, look at its lyrics: Wise men say only fools rush in But I can't help falling in love with you Shall I stay? Would it be a sin If I can't help falling in love with you? Like a river flows surely to the sea Darling so it goes Some things are meant to be Take my hand, take my whole life too For I can't help falling in love with you ...