Gerald D'Cunha

“Everything that is right – is wrong!” EVERYTHING THAT IS RIGHT – IS WRONG! I do not know from where did the above line pop up in my heart, even before I opened my eyes, this morning… and, why I keep humming it, even now, in my mind: “Everything that is right – is wrong!” I really feel I need someone like Joseph of Old Testament to decode my dream – this mystery. To tell me: What does this line mean? Why do I feel so strong for it? And, why am I, now, so compelled to write about it? So, like the King of Egypt, who surrendered before this interpreter of dreams, I now allowed myself to be. The Joseph in me asked, “Why do you want to be right? Why are you so compelled to argue and prove the other person wrong?” Well, honestly, I had never thought about it… All that I knew was I had this obsessive need in me to be right… and prove that the other person is wrong! So, I mumbled, “Because, I know I am right… and, he doesn’t a...

The morning Yoga session was ending.  “I am filled with love,” the Yoga teacher announced... “I am filled with love,” the class echoed.  “I love God,” the teacher declared… “I love God,” the students cried.  “God is great,” the teacher announced… “God is great,” the pupil followed.  “I am the best,” the master decreed… “I am the best,” everybody agreed. Last morning, I was passing by this temple where the Yoga class was being held. There were men and women - some elderly, some middle-aged and some young. The session was ending with those affirmations… those auto-suggestions:  “I am filled with love,”… “I love God,”…. “God is great,”…. And, “I am the best.” I could hear the chorus even after I long passed that temple… and even after hours long gone behind! In my office, I felt glad for all those people who were starting their day on such positive note. I felt glad for the teacher, too… ...

On a hot summer noon, if you offer me a choice: “Pepsi or Coke?”, I would say, “Coke, anytime.” Now, you may shout, “Pepsi. Only Pepsi.” Well, before you get it wrong, let me clarify, here itself… that, I am not trying to promote Coke in my blog. Certainly, Coca-Cola Company doesn’t need my favour in this respect. I love Coke, because, I love the Coke stories… The legends of Coca-Cola! One of the legends around this drink is still alive: The secret formula. That, nobody knows what goes into making it other than the Coca leaves and the Kola nuts… No one knows what is that ‘magic something’ they add to taste it so romantic…  I was very small when I had first heard about this folklore. The mystery had captivated my imagination… and, ever since then, I had loved this drink just because I had loved the mystery, the secret, the suspense… “What is that ‘secret something’ they add to create the magic of Coca-Cola?” “What is the inv...

“Let not the Sun go down on your wrath.” When the Sun goes up, if I leave home with anger, banging the door behind,  then, I can not expect to return to a happy home. I can not expect an angel to open the door for me. Likewise, if I go to sleep with anger in my soul, I can not expect to rise with a dancing soul. If home is not a safe place, no other place under the Sun is… If happiness can not be found right under my roof, it can not be found under the canopy of God’s sky…   Wherever I go, I carry myself… The world outside is the reflection of the world inside… An angry man has to calm down. Else, his anger is bound to turn into poison of his soul… The death of his anger is the birth of his compassion! Therefore, I don’t pray to God for a life without anger. For, the Holy Books have enough instances of God burning with anger! I pray to Him, to help me see the light of compassion as the can...

Thomas Hobson, who lived in Cambridge during 1544-1631, owned about forty fine horses in his stable. He would give them on hire to his customers, mostly the students from Cambridge.  Whenever a customer would approach Hobson, the first impression he got, by looking at the fine collection of horses, was that he had a fantastic choice. But, in reality, he had none! Why was that? Hobson was a hard-nose horse-lender. The only option he would offer to the customer would be: to take the horse nearest to the door. The customer had to take it or leave it. This one or none! In other words, the customers had no choice. The choice was between what was offered to him by Hobson or none!   Down the years, this kind of choice – this kind of situation, the dilemma – has come to be known as ‘Hobson’s Choice’! Last night, a dear one praised me with these words: “Gerry, what I like the most about you is tha...

I keep reminding myself, today, that I am a human. and I keep telling myself, "It is okay... It is okay." But , not before I crossed through the passion of my soul... Not before I chose the bliss of 'coming home' over the strain of 'being right'. I fell with the weight of my intolerance, I rose with the glory of a God! A bitter argument did make me sulk, yet again, today, A passing thought did cloud my heart with fear, Trust did shake for some moments, And those few moments did appear as a chasm of endless pain, Yes, the nearest ones did look to be my worst enemies... Yes, all for those few moments Of human agony,  Of living with fullness, With earnestness, With prayer, With love. Love is love because I have been lost and found... And not because lost at all... There is  celebration  Because, I am back home... I have come home! I sti...

  “I enter this house with a happy heart… May I give birth to children, Who observe the path of righteousness (dharma)! May this house that I enter today be prosperous forever And never be deficient in food! May this house be populated by people Of virtue and pious thoughts.” Remember this mantra ? I am not asking this to my wife… Even though it was supposed be a mantra every woman has to recite before she steps into her new home… Yes, putting her ‘right’ foot forward! I am asking this to myself! I had spoken passionately today, in my early morning class, before the young kids. It was the first session of their CPT course. (the entrance test for CA). The class had started, and one of my dearest students, Aakansha*, had still not come. More than twenty minutes had gone by, and others were waiting. I was waiting. I had even called up her home and reminded her mom, early this morning.  So, I wanted Aakan...

In the Disney movie, The Jungle Book, the hero is our little Mowgli. Yes, our chaddi buddy – the cute, little Mowgli. His two steadfast friends and well-wishers are Bagheera, the black panther… and, Baloo, the big bear.  Now, what is so endearing about this amazing relationship is that Bagheera, has a no-nonsense outlook towards life. He is exceptionally sensitive, concerned and cautious. He wants the best for Mowgli, the man-cub. He is extremely focused on his mission – coasting  little Mowgli to where he belongs: the Man-village. It is in his blood to express his anxieties and concerns. Counseling comes naturally to Bagheera; caring and standing by his loved ones is very, very important to him. He is ready to walk any distance, meet any challenges which he may have to encounter along the mission.  Laughter doesn’t come to Bagheera, easily. He sounds serious about life… almost a dead-pan! Mowgli’s other care-taker, the bes...

  Time doesn’t heal…   My burning desire to for peace, does. If Time should heal, Then, God should rule only through miracles, I should wait till another Salvador comes! I forgive someone, Not because he seeks for it, But, because, I will for it! I forgive for my own self, For my own liberation… And, knowing very well That, I have nowhere else to go!    Trust doesn’t come along the golden clouds, It comes along the deep silence of ocean-bed! If Trust should come Through my pleading and my demanding, Then, I must wait for eons to end, For the ocean-bed to be violent, My heart to be a rock! Forgiveness happens now, Healing happens now, Trust happens now, Peace happens now…   Yes , it is now… or, never! GERALD D’CUNHA Pic.:Hariprasad