Gerald D'Cunha

Pic.: Nirmala Sundar F ive years ago, Raveena* had met me immediately after she got her SSC results. After congratulating her on her wonderful performance, I asked her the obvious question: “What next, beta ?” “Arts, sir,” Raveena said, without blinking. I did not blink, either. “Great,” I said, “But, why Arts, beta ?” “Sir, I love Psychology,” Raveena explained, “I have been dreaming about it for long.” “You will shine in it Raveena,” I told her, “do it with all your heart.” This was five years ago. A while ago, Raveena had come to see me on some important work; she just left my office. She would be completing her final-year in Psychology, now. So, instinctively, I asked her the obvious: “What next, beta ?” I feel happy when I meet many young-kids, like Raveena, who are not only head-strong, but heart-strong, as well. I was impressed about her plans and I advised her to start writing, too. Probably, Raveena  wasn't  prepared ...

The other day, another friend of mine, Mr. Mustafa, was talking to our young-ones. He had only five of his pet ideas to share. The ideas which had helped him along his journey and now he was keen to share with any young one. MTNL – R. This was how he had codified his subject. Mentoring. Time-management. Net-working. Listening. And, a pause later, Reading.  When you codify your subject matter, it always becomes easy to present it and, it also becomes easy for your audience to retain it in mind. While all the five ideas were interesting and valuable, I, personally, liked the ‘N’. Our young-kids needed it badly… “How many of you are on FB?” Mr. Mustafa asked our kids. He should’ve asked the other way around – “How many of you are not there on FB?” So, all hands went up, including mine… “How much time do you spend on a day on an average?” Some had become tired and bored with FB… They had been there, seen that, do...

It has, always, been fashionable to talk about the virtues of ‘net-working’. Yes, our ‘Social net-working’. We know Social net-working helps us to ‘grow’… socially, intellectually, financially and even spiritually. Most of us have some of these reasons for joining various social circles - Clubs, Gymkhanas, Associations, Religious groups, and even Charity organizations… Out there, we meet people from different back grounds – different interests, talents, and even cultures… and, we hope to learn from these people, share ideas, contacts, and grow from mutual benefits… Definitely, it is the best way to expand our ‘circles of influence’, if I should borrow the famous catch-line of late Dr. Stephen R. Covey. So far so good. But, what is interesting is this: Imagine four people meet at a Club or Gymkhana… each having in his mind his own agenda: how to ‘expand’… how to ‘grow…by net-working with others. So much so, each one is the...