Gerald D'Cunha

“When you’re angry and frustrated, what comes out? Whatever it is, it’s a good indication of what you’re made of.” H. Jackson Brown C urry leaves – we called them ‘Bevu soppu’ in Kannada – went in every dish prepared in our li’l South-Indian village, Mangalore. Well, almost in every dish! So, just as each house had a Tulsi plant in the front yard, the back yard of every house in our village had a curry leaves plant. Soon, the plant would grow up into quite a big tree. I remember having one in our own back yard. It had grown huge. Some from the neighbourhood, who did not have a curry leaves plant at home, would come to our house. And we gladly and generously let them take away whatever quantity they wished to take. Each one took almost a branch! But, that’s how it was… Giving away a branch of the curry leaves plant was believed to be a ‘good karma’. So, when the beneficiary of this good karma dropped a few curry leaves while cooking, the aroma invariably reached o...

  “God doesn’t mass produce His children… There is no assembly line in His production house.” W hen I first came across this line, I remember, I had felt immensely re-assured. I was a young boy, then… very anxious, scared to approach life… constantly comparing myself with others… constantly putting myself down… Constantly hammering myself with the self-judgment - “He is good, I am no good,” …“He is okay, I am not okay.”… I worried, with great pain, if there was a place for me in this world. Yes, it was during these anxious days of mine, I came across the assurance, that God had created me as a unique person on this planet… That, no matter how many billions had come and gone, would come and go… each of us was born to be ‘special’… incredibly unique. I realized, with great surprise, that there was not a soul on this earth exactly like me… with my finger-prints and voice… with my one-of-kind look.  So, if God ...

  As part of the on-going Ganeshotsav in our housing complex, last night, the Youth had organized programs for the kids. We have seven-day activities in our complex. But, the day we have kids’ activities, the turnout is the maximum!  It is a real treat to watch the excitement of those kids… Right from a small baby to twelve-year old, we have them all on stage! And, yes, to cheer them on, we have their lovely parents and grandparents… bothers and sisters, even aunts and uncles! Yes, just to see their little bundle of joy, all decked up like a Fairy or Princess, a Narad or a Michael Jackson… and just standing there on center-stage to move those tiny hips or mouth those three-or-four-words dialogues! The little one standing there and just jumping up and down… yes, it is enough to make the beholders happy. And, if the kid can dance or sing… believe me, it is a huge feeling for the entire family… A celebration! Yes, it is.  You ...