Gerald D'Cunha

Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption agitation was at its thick. The no-nonsense Gandhian was on a fast-unto-death… The entire nation had rallied behind him… The Ram Leela grounds had never before witnessed a frenzy like this one… The young and old alike wore the topi that read – ‘I am Anna’. It had spread like a viral… and had brought the Government down to its knees. All over the country, people – simple and sophisticated, illiterate and highly literate, all - were on a campaign-spree… Suddenly, to speak of anti-corruption in this country had become very fashionable… a fad. It gave a huge ego-kick to most of us… It was in the midst of this infectious anti-corruption agitation, about five-hundred students of a Medical College in Mumbai wanted to join one of the anti-corruption rallies in our Azad Maidan. The Dean of this college asked all of them to assemble in the college campus. “Are you really serious about rooting out corruption from our land?” the Dean ask...

The most effective way of teaching someone to be kind is by being kind myself.  If I keep my word, respect my appointments, do not backbite… then, it is quite easy for me to teach the virtue of these things to others. In fact, there is no need for me to teach, if I really practice what I intend to preach… The other person sees what I do, how I behave… and, he likes me for that; he trusts me… respects me. If this is the wavelength from which I expect him to learn from me, he would. Not otherwise… No one really likes to learn from a hollow person… One who doesn’t practice what he preaches. I still remember all those people – some teachers, some relatives, some friends and some neighbors – who I had immensely liked for some of their fine behavior… I would come home and talk excitedly about them, their words and deeds, to my parents, particularly my mother. And, yes, she would listen to me with apt attention and great delight… ...

If our needs are moderate, and if we are very efficient in our work, our fields… and, upon this, if we are well-committed, consistent and value-driven… Yes, if we tuck these traits around our hearts and approach our lives - tell me, need we feel insecure or scared in life? Need we worry about our tomorrows? Now, let me ask the same thing the opposite way: If we are extra-ambitious, and if we are inefficient in our work, our fields… and, upon this, if we lack commitment, are inconsistent and value-starved… Yes, if we tuck these traits around our hearts and approach our lives, tell me, will we ever feel secure and confident in life? Will we be excited about our tomorrows? Today, I happened to see two very ordinary souls… and, I felt a lot hopeful, just by observing them for a short while, and hearing about them from others. The first one was a watchman of a housing society. I had been to this society, this morning to meet someone. I was impressed by the...

The nightmare about our doom – this world is going to end soon – is not a new one. Before someone wrote the doomsday to be 2012, George Orwell had already written: it was 1984! And, before that, a hundred dreaded doomsdays had come and gone… The world has not ended… Not yet! “Who told you?” when asked, someone points out to Jesus Christ… and, someone to the grandest old-man, Noah! Now, they say that the globe is warming up… It is going to melt, soon… That, there will be something sinister… Run!!! But, run where? Long time ago, a little Hare was gripped by the fear that the Earth was going to break up and everyone would perish… The nightmare would not allow the Hare to rest properly… One afternoon, when this Hare was resting under a large coconut tree, it heard a huge thud followed by a prolonged rumbling sound… “Oh, it has happened,” the Hare sprang up into the air, all panicked, “Let me run… The ...

The night before last , my wife and I were watching the NDTV news. The entire segment was dedicated to the horrific shoot-out incident at the Connecticut school in the US. A young lady-reporter was presenting the news, all overwhelmed by emotions. Her voice was choked and cracking as she went about unfolding the unbelievable sad tragedy… And, tears just rolled down our eyes… both mine and my wife’s! We saw President Obama crying as he paid moving homage to so many tender ones… and to those innocent teachers and others who lost their lives… Today, I read in the newspaper about this incident: A woman, in another sate in the US, who was listening to the radio news while driving was so overpowered by grief that she was unable to drive any further… She parked her car on sideways and sobbed uncontrollably… till her heart calmed down! Those were such small children… so innocent… so tender! No, it shouldn’t have happened to...

I know a gentleman. Whenever I meet him, I enjoy asking him the routine question, “How’s life?” For, his answer - very typical of how he goes about his life – charges me: “Great! No complaints!” Imagine, if we start greeting each day with such an expression, and really, really mean it… how will our day be? “Life is great”!” is not just another statement… It is, indeed, the greatest ‘Thank-you’ we can ever say to God… “My life is blessed… Halleluiah!” Paulo Coelho has a famous line: “Every blessing ignored becomes a curse!” Now, let’s read it again… When our day starts, if we do not choose to see the blessings in our lives - scores of them… small ones and big ones - yes, if we ignore these blessings which abound all around in our lives, that very act of ignorance, that very choice we make not to acknowledge and feel grateful for our blessings – most certainly, becomes our curse! It is bound to rob us of our da...

As Christmas approaches, I always go back to some of the ageless Christmas stories I grew up with. Yes, there is Charles Dickens’s popular classic – ‘A Christmas Carol’… and there is O’ Henry’s immortal tale – ‘Gift of the Magi’. It would be very difficult to erase these imprints from my mind… They will, forever, remain etched there… Yes, making Christmas a little more inspiring, each year! One more Christmas fable comes to my mind, today…Fredrick Thury’s – ‘The Last Straw’. The hero of this story is Hoshmakaka. Translated it into our ethos, it means Hoshma uncle! He is an old, tired and sick camel… with painful knee-joints and grumpiness. Still, like many of us, he  has a false a pride… which makes him get carried away easily by praises of those around. One day, Hoshmakaka hears through the desert a voice that he is chosen to carry gifts of the Wise-men to the new-born King… the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Hoshmakaka knows in his ...

Joe, my college-days buddy, called me last afternoon. I was in the midst of a lecture. So, the moment I saw his name on my mobile screen, I decided to get back to him once my class was over. But, the day had been very hectic… I forgot to call him till I reached home, late at night. At home, I remembered his missed call, but decided I would get back to him, leisurely, after my dinner was over. Post dinner, I blissfully forgot my good-old friend!  Then, this morning, on the way to my workplace, I suddenly remembered my friend’s missed call, once again. There was a bad traffic around, and I thought I would call him once I reached my office. The moment I reached the office, I got involved in my work so much, that till some thirty minutes ago, my memory hadn’t returned! My mobile was ringing… It was my thickest friend of all – Joe, from Mangalore! “Sorry Joe,” I found myself repeating, “very sorry, very sorry… very, very sorry…” “...