Gerald D'Cunha

  “The living conditions of the poor must be improved, if we really want to save our environment.” Wangari Maathai   W e would call her Lilly bai. She lived on rent in our neighborhood in my native village in Mangalore. Once in a month or two, she would request me to write a letter to her younger brother, who worked in Bombay (before it became Mumbai)… She would dictate, I would write. Outside the inland letter, the address would be: Rafael D’Souza/Liftman, Sonera* Building, Near Masjid Bunder, Bombay – 400 009. Yes, my service was not only limited to write letters to Lilly bai’s brother, but also to read out to her his replies. This continued till I myself migrated to Bombay to find a better living condition. I still remember my visit to Lilly bai’s brother… She had so lovingly packed a bottle of homemade shredded-mango pickle for her brother. I knew the address byheart: Sonera Building, Near Masjid Bunder, Bombay 400 009… All that I had to ask there for was: ‘R...

  “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” John Holmes   S unil, who has been printing all our books (for over two decades), is deeply involved with many religious and charity works. They include seva relating to Shirdi pilgrimage, reaching out to poor village kids in schools of interior Maharashtra, serving food on Thursdays at the local Sai mandir or during Ganesh festivities, and so on. Being a printer, he, also, volunteers to do, free of cost, most of the work relating banners, souvenirs and certificates. “This is within my reach, and it gives me a lot of peace,” he says. But, Sunil gets annoyed when people around him start posting pictures and videos of such charity work on social media. “I tell them not to make any publicity or show of any seva that we do,” he says, “but, many of them don’t listen.” “Let your left hand not know what your right hand gives,” Jesus had advised. But, that advice seems outdated. Peo...

I was talking to a very elderly woman, who I call aunty. I have always admired her for her grace and wit. Every Diwali, she would send to our place a small box containing homemade Diwali sweets and snacks. We always felt special warmth when we opened that box… Simplicity, sincerity, love and blessings always came packed in it…  Yesterday, when I met her, she was very apologetic… “I have not been keeping well for some months… I won’t’ be able to send you Diwali box this time,” she said, “This is my age of no choice, no voice!” I pulled aunty close to me and said, “Aunty, don’t bother about the sweet box… You did it for so many years… Now, you take some break. Wishes and prayers are enough… You give us yours and we give you ours.” “I feel bad,” aunty said, almost choked with emotions! Later, at noon, I had been to the station area to pick some simple Diwali gifts to ‘a couple of people’. I saw a white, posh, chauffeur-driven Audi. I was curious to se...

A 20-year-old girl, who was once my student, and who is all set to complete her graduation, posted on her FB timeline, this morning: ‘GOD, PLEASE MAKE ME RICH’… In an advertisement video, a stunning beauty was introducing an even stunning motor bike – which looked like a gadget straight from the latest Bond film… Oh, it was truly a ‘hot stuff’!! I mean, the bike… Not the babe!! Or, maybe the babe for an old man like me… and the bike for my young student! But, let me tell you this honestly… I was neither swept off my feet by the stunning babe nor the swanky bike she was trying to woo me with… So, I said to God, ‘Thank you God for not making me rich’! W ell, being rich in life is not bad at all. It is good, it is great… It is a blessing. Therefore, I have great respect for all those who have prospered in their lives through right means, who live life with gratitude and charity… who are compassionate, who are aware of the truth that wealth and s...