Gerald D'Cunha

In Life, some things we, always, do without being told… and, without any concern over time or returns… even, appreciation. We, always, pursue them just for the simple joy they give us… and, we do them with our full heart. They are our hobbies. Call them interests… It makes no difference. Normally, any pursuit ‘outside my regular occupation’ is considered to be our hobby. So, my regular occupation is teaching ‘commerce students’. If I do any activity, other than teaching, through my own self-interest, for sheer joy… like this blogging, counseling, poetry, writing notes in dairies, or photography, painting, sports – or, yes, the FB ‘time-pass’– all these can be branded as hobbies. Some of my friends still collect old coins and stamps… Some have hundreds of mini-car models… Some keep fish and tortoise at home, some dogs and parrots… Some maintain gardens and plants… Some cook exotic dishes, some sing, some sketch… Some collect celebrity autog...

I still remember those initial days of my teaching… I was still in college – first-year B’Com to be precise. I was desperately shy, bad in English language and crushed under the heavy yoke of my self-doubts. I was filled with anxiety and dreaded to move towards my future. My self-confidence was at its rock-bottom… Nothing goes right for you when your mind is ruled by so many ghosts! So, it was in my first-year degree that Prof. B.S. Raman came to teach us for the first time… and, my life changed for good! I have written about this experience countless times and spoken, too, a thousand times… Particularly, I have shared this experience with parents of my students whenever they have approached me to seek my advice as to what career their young-ones should choose. And, yes, I have, always, spoken about it, with all my passion and honesty, to the young-ones themselves: “Look, it is never late to follow your heart; but, please listen to your heart ...