Gerald D'Cunha

Will fear go from my life? Will anger go? Will jealousy go? Will insecurity and greed go? Will lust and guilt go? Well, if these weren’t present in me, I wouldn’t have asked these questions, here… And, if they hadn’t bogged me down, I wouldn’t have bothered about them… Yes, because my life has all of them – fear, anger, greed, lust, jealousy and insecurity… because my well-being and confidence are hugely affected by them… I, frequently, ask the questions: “Will they go?”… “Will my life be free from all these ‘demons’?”…”Will I be confident, happy?” In life, some things are certain: Every tunnel has to have an end… Every dark cloud has to have a silver lining. Yes, every thought of despair should promise me hope… Fear should promise me courage… Lust, greed, jealousy and insecurity should promise me freedom… Anger should bring the promise of compassion… Death has to promise me Life… Hell has to promise me Heaven… Yes, these are some cert...

I will just call him – the Manipur Boy! That’s enough. He hails from the troubled state of Manipur… and from a family which has tough times making the two ends meet. The newspapers say that, barely six months ago, he almost missed out filling the registration forms for his CBSE-Board class XII exams… because his family could not afford it. Yes, that was six months ago. On this Monday, when the results were out, this young boy stunned the nation: He scored 99 percent and became the first to do that – ever – in the CBSE history! He stood first in a nation crowded with rich, bright, elite and whatever!  I do not know who this boy is. I haven’t even seen his picture… But, last night, when I read the report in the newspapers, my eyes welled… and goose bumps sprang up all over my body! I felt a lot proud to be born in a nation where the guys like this one – with acute constraints – still could dream, and go about following them… and, yes, the...

I have taught for over thirty years. And, I believe, I have taught with all my love and passion. I, always, wanted to be a teacher… And, all these years, I have been only that: a teacher. Yes, as a teacher, I have to teach all kinds: the best of the lot and the worst of the lot. Many of my students have topped in their exams… and many have tanked. So many have risen to great positions in life… and so many are still stuck somewhere, limping or wasted. Some, when they meet me after years and years, hug me and tell what a difference I have made in their lives… And, some, when we cross our way, don’t even remember that I was their teacher once! Some, even after studying here, under me, for five-long years, give me a feeling that what a drudgery the herd-mentality can  breed in life!... While, some, even though they were with me for a week or a month – make me feel how inspiring, how special some relationships can be! Right from the day one of my te...

Who won the IPL trophy, last night? Who were the Champions? Like millions over the world, I too was glued to TV, last night. And, like everyone else, I too enjoyed the contest… Yes, the clash of the Titans, the nail-biting thriller! I was rooting for Chennai Super Kings. Even till the end, I wanted them to win… and, I hoped. Along with every twist and turn, my heart too experienced the heat and the chill. And, in the end, when they lost, my heart slipped into a gloom! The other fans of CSK too experienced this… The gigantic Chennai stadium, which was packed to the brim till minutes ago, looked, literally, deserted at the time of Presentation ceremony! Their coaches, the players, and even the ground staff seemed tensed. Even the winning side KKR’s charismatic and otherwise a live-wire, Shah Rukh Khan, his little daughter Suhana, his beautiful wife Gauri… KKR’s die-hard fan, Usha Uthup, their brave Captain, Gambhir, almost all their player...

    “God has not called me to be successful; He has called me to be faithful.” What did Mother Theresa mean when she had said this? Yesterday, I had shared in my Post what our PD students – kids, young ones and middle-aged – had to say on: ‘What Success means to me’. This morning, after the Mass, there was a send-off for our assistant parish-priest, Fr. Simon. In his emotional speech, he quoted Mother Theresa:  “God has not called me to be successful; He has called me to be faithful.”  Fr. Simon knew that during his two-year tenure, whatever he had performed was done by him with full commitment and love… He had been faithful to the mission he was assigned to… That, he had the silent satisfaction and pride of not compromising on his commitment… That, he had been faithful. He said in his speech: “So, my dear parishioners, as Mother Theresa had said, I too consider that, two years ago, God had ...

  It is over twenty-two years since THE DAWN CLUB was founded. In every PD course we have conducted - yes, every year since then - we have asked our youngsters to reflect, write or speak on the topic: ‘What Success means to me.” Also, in every book that we have published, over all these years, we have, directly or indirectly, touched upon this subject. Two days ago, during our morning session, I, once again, asked the young ones to reflect on this subject. They were asked to share with us just one or two aspects. Yes, just one, two, or at the most three, ideas on: What Success, personally, meant to each one of them. “My young friends, please remember,” I said to them, “I want you to share with us, ‘Your’ ideas – what Success really, really means to ‘you’ – yes, at ‘this’ point of your life. Don’t bother about what it means to anyone else… Or, what will others think about what you think.” I wasn’t surprised on hearing what I did! Each one of them had...

Some people, in this world, are born to make peace. Yes, the world calls them Peace-makers. World needs them…  Communities need them… Families need them… Social circles need them… Jesus Christ, in His famous ‘Sermon on the Mount’ had said: “Blessed are the Peace-makers… For, they shall be called (Sons) children of God!” Living with others means living with ‘differences’. It is not easy, always. Conflicts arise because of misunderstandings, intolerance, insensitivity and egos… and, of course, because of human greed, ambition and even vengeance. Wars erupt out of these conflicts…  So, how can these conflicts be ended? Who can facilitate the reconciliation? Who can broker peace? Yes, there are these ‘special’ people – sent by God into this world to perform the ‘special mission’: to make peace!” There are these people…  They help broker peace among the nations,  among the commun...

Sagar * sent a message, this morning: “Sir, I am at Siddhivinayak temple… So, can’t come for the PD class.” I said in my mind, “May Lord Ganesh bless you.” Actually, I meant: “Lord Ganesh alone can save you, dear!” Yes, I am a mortal… I can’t! I have tried… tried hard and long… I can’t. Why? Why do I say, “I can’t?” Well, Lord Ganesh knows it pretty well. I hoped, this morning, that He would send my student, Sagar, back putting some sense into his thick skull. Two days back: “Sir, my best friend’s mom is in ICU… I have come to be with my friend. Sorry, I can’t attend today.” A day before that: “Sir, I am out on some urgent ‘personal’ work… Don’t think I can make to the class. Sorry.” Go another two days back: “Sir, I am really not well. Excuse me. I will attend regularly from next class.” Like this, almost, ninety percent of the course has gone for a toss. Only ten percent is now left. Of this, I am sure, ninety perc...