Gerald D'Cunha

  “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” Abraham Lincoln   W e, often, use the phrase – ‘One day at a time’ – more as a cliché. When everything is going fine, and when the sky is sunny and bright, who cares for ‘One day at a time’… Life is, always, ‘stored’ for the future, you see… When the chips are down and the tomorrow looks totally clouded – as it does now – to most of us, the phrase ‘One day at a time’ – is no longer just a cliché; it’s is a fresh commandment to live by… Abraham Lincoln – or whoever said it – was right: The best thing about our future is, that it comes one day at a time… Yes, for all of us, that is. It’s not possible, for any of us, to foresee our future or secure it completely. When our ship is caught in a storm, the focus should be on stabilizing… with loads of patience and with all that we can… Only once the ship is steady, and storm subsides, can we sail on towards our destinations… To be desperate in a s...

“When you make peace with yourself, You make peace with the world.” Maha Ghosananda I f the images of a White police-officer in Minneapolis state in America choking down (with his knees) his fellow-Black citizen to death was extremely disturbing and provocative, the images of the White Police-chief of New York City and of several other cities in America kneeling down to hug the protesters, walking with them in solidarity in their peaceful protest-march… yes, these images are extremely empowering and healing. What a time for this unfortunate episode to explode, and what a way! In a way, all over the world, episodes like these are waiting to explode… It can be anywhere, any moment. Trust me, I am not a Prophet of Doom… I am a die-hard advocate of peace… I am an incorrigible optimist! But, that doesn’t make me bury my head in the sand and say, “Everything is fine… Sab changa si”! Everything ' will be'  fine… Yes, I believe in that. S...

“Once you choose hope, anything is possible.” -       Christopher Reeve -         W e all are sailing in the same boat, now. Yes, our President, Prime Minister and Mukesh Ambani included… The Pope, The Super Powers and The Super Stars included. And, whether we sail this rough sea aboard our Titanics or village boats, the storm doesn’t ask who we are… Just as Werner Erhard said, “If you stand in the rain, you get wet, whether we understand water or not.” What ‘is’ is what ‘is’… Not what we want it to be… Not how we want it to be. That’s why, the early we learn not to argue with the reality, the peaceful our hearts will be. Byron Katie keeps reminding us, “Sweethearts, we don’t get to vote on reality.” Just as the plight in which we all – yes The Presidents, The Prime Ministers, The Bill Gates, The Jack Mas, The Ambanis and The Adanis, The Tom Hanks, Bachchans and Rajnikants, you,  ...

I was talking to one of my friends over the phone last night. The discussion was about a long-standing problem which affected directly or indirectly many of us. The solution, to most of us, looked so near, yet so far… We knew, that, with a sincere intent, it could be resolved. But, it was not happening, leaving many of us anxious and frustrated, even cynical and angry. “But, I am optimistic,” I said to my friend, “All problems, sooner or later, come to an end.” What, normally, happens is this: We are so consumed by the problem in hand, that we run out of patience… We fail to lift our head, and we are not prepared to hold the fort – hang on there… and let the storm pass by. Life shows us, that storms never last. They pass… Calm returns. “But, how long to hold the fort? How long to hang on there?” some of us ask drained of our patience and energy… “Why can’t we cut off the snake’s head and end the problem, once and for all? ‘Na rahega   baans, na baje...

Pic.: Shreeshay Patel “If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm.” - Frank Lane I had invited a dear friend of mine for our Sunday’s Dawn Club function. My friend is blessed with a wonderful family and he had been doing extremely well in his profession, too. So, to the world, it would appear as if there was nothing to complain about in my friend’s life… He only  had  things to be grateful for… And, that’s how my case, too, may appear to the world… I have a wonderful family… I am doing well in my profession… So, what else is there to complain about in my life? Let me correct myself… Not ‘to complain about’… But, ‘seek help’. Yes, help to sail through many silent storms in my life… Are there storms? Yes, plenty in our lives… I think, in everyone’s life, there are these storms… And everyone gets weighed down, anxious… Everyone needs a helping hand… everyone needs God’s grace… We only do not ta...