Gerald D'Cunha

  “A person who won’t read has no advantage over a person who can’t read.” Mark Twain   T his morning, Raju (our istriwala ) and I entered into our building lift together. He was carrying at least five/six big ‘ potlies ’ of clothes – some on his shoulders, some in his hands. They belonged to   different residents who lived on different floors. What he was carrying must be from just one or two floors, while our building has two wings with sixteen floors each… Raju is so punctual, that you can set time on your watch as per his timings…. “Rajubai, how do you manage to remember whose clothes are there in each bundle, and how many are there in each bundle? Also, how do you remember who has paid you and who hasn’t?” I asked, almost amazed by his organized work, “I don’t see you keeping any note of these things.” Raju smiled and replied, “Sir, this is my daily work… My mind has become used to it now.” “Have you mixed up any time, or has any one complained any time...

  “Nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know.” Pema Chodron I n my hometown, Mangalore, there is a famous bakery  by the name ‘Cochin Bakery’. They have several outlets in the city and some fantastic delicacies. The one many people like is their ghee cake… It’s a simple, delicious cake that goes extremely well with the evening tea… I simply love it. So, while returning from Mangalore, some days ago, I had picked a couple of packets of this favourite cake of mine just to pass on to some close ones. One of my dear ones sent this message to me the next day: “I had the ghee cake you had sent over yesterday and I have absolutely loved it. Thank you for sending it over. I just have one request: if it’s possible for you, and if you do have another, could you please send it over , too? I did not get to eat much of the previous cake that was sent.” And, I absolutely love this kind of honesty and childlike attitude in life. The dear one, who sent this...

I was talking to a very elderly woman, who I call aunty. I have always admired her for her grace and wit. Every Diwali, she would send to our place a small box containing homemade Diwali sweets and snacks. We always felt special warmth when we opened that box… Simplicity, sincerity, love and blessings always came packed in it…  Yesterday, when I met her, she was very apologetic… “I have not been keeping well for some months… I won’t’ be able to send you Diwali box this time,” she said, “This is my age of no choice, no voice!” I pulled aunty close to me and said, “Aunty, don’t bother about the sweet box… You did it for so many years… Now, you take some break. Wishes and prayers are enough… You give us yours and we give you ours.” “I feel bad,” aunty said, almost choked with emotions! Later, at noon, I had been to the station area to pick some simple Diwali gifts to ‘a couple of people’. I saw a white, posh, chauffeur-driven Audi. I was curious to se...

S uddenly, a thought was crossing through my mind, today: “What was I doing at 25?” At 25, I  was young, energetic… had a big bush (African hair) over my head… A couple of years before that, I had decided not to take up a steady job anywhere… Instead go on my own. So, inspired by Napoleon Hills’ famous success principle (in ‘Think and Grow Rich’, and ‘Law of Success’) – ‘Master Mind Alliance’ – I had bought together some men of different skills and strengths to found an Institute in Kalina… When I look back and see this episode, I get a broad smile on my face… I was still very raw and inexperienced… Business and entrepreneurship never ran my family DNA… Still, solely influenced by Napoleon Hill’s success philosophy – here I was: with a commercial venture in hand. I had burnt the bridges behind me to be there… I had left no escape route… I had to do or die… I had to sink or swim. So, the secret was to give your all, and I gave my all… And, even at that r...

“Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog.” ―  Douglas Malloch T his must be my tenth Post on Buzzo… I am not sure. But, yes, I have written many times about him… how nice he is! For those who have missed the train, Buzzo is a permanent resident of the housing Society where I have my classes and office. He was born here with his many brothers and sisters… Only he survived. He lives with his partner Sony (I have given her that name). Buzzo was the name given to this adorable dog – he has put on a lot of weight now – by Devika and her brother Vinay (when they were school kids) who live in our Society. The way Buzzo shows affection and loyalty to Mr. Kanchan (Devika and Vinay’s dad) and his family is something heart-melting… “Wish I had a son or daughter like  Buzzo,” I have heard people saying this. Two days ago, Mr. Punjabi, a senior citizen, who lived in our building, exp...

Pic.: Pradeep Nanda M y wife was telling me, this morning, about something nice she had read yesterday. It was an extract from a Japanese author’s book which had appealed to a vast audience in the West, particularly in the US. My wife told me, that the book was about how to keep one’s wardrobe neat and tidy (An American closet can be as large as an Indian bedroom!). And, if one kept dumping in such a wardrobe all sorts of stuff, you can imagine what a colossal dumping-yard the wardrobe would look like! So, apparently, this Eastern author had shared some simple tips through which one could keep the closet free of clutter… neat and tidy. What had appealed to my wife, when she had read about it, yesterday, was this simple, yet profound, tip: “What brings you joy, keep it… What doesn’t, give it away.” I do not know why my wife remembered, after so many years – and of all the things we had stuffed and unstuffed in our wardrobe – that cute-little sweater of our son. When m...