Check out this latest addition onto the youtube about my Province... just another crazy adventure!
23 October 2008
22 October 2008
Multi-tasking and efficiency
Multi-tasking is a real feat these days. And if someone thought I'm good at it (that I am getting sharper or rather, used to it, is another thing!) then they've not met Fr PT Joseph! He's a real entrepreneur! Check out what he is evolving www.donboscoindia.com into!
I guess we all human beings have inherited something from our four-legged ancestors, along the way. Adapting to situations and circumstances as per need - and survival - we grow and evolve into something more equipped, better prepared and efficient. And who knows, if those circumstances are relaxed then we may get back to the 'lethargic state' of life as earlier. Well, depends!
So far so good. The three days ahead are going to be real hectic days. Look forward to meeting confreres and extending to them our Provincial house hospitality. My recent trip to Vizag made me all the more conscious that however I try, confreres look at me more as Secretary of the Province than as Castilino. Certainly not a very comfortable treatment as per that outlook. Too much of formality!
I guess we all human beings have inherited something from our four-legged ancestors, along the way. Adapting to situations and circumstances as per need - and survival - we grow and evolve into something more equipped, better prepared and efficient. And who knows, if those circumstances are relaxed then we may get back to the 'lethargic state' of life as earlier. Well, depends!
So far so good. The three days ahead are going to be real hectic days. Look forward to meeting confreres and extending to them our Provincial house hospitality. My recent trip to Vizag made me all the more conscious that however I try, confreres look at me more as Secretary of the Province than as Castilino. Certainly not a very comfortable treatment as per that outlook. Too much of formality!
Photos...
The whole effort of this whole morning did not go in vain! At last mastered - at least to some extent - the picasa photos thing! The result of that can be seen on the top right photo slide!
Originally I wanted it on the Province website www.donboscohyderabad.org but then I wanted to experiment with it prior to putting it up there. Now that I know the procedure, I can try it out with the Province website too. Hope it 'clicks'!
Originally I wanted it on the Province website www.donboscohyderabad.org but then I wanted to experiment with it prior to putting it up there. Now that I know the procedure, I can try it out with the Province website too. Hope it 'clicks'!
21 October 2008
The teacher
Here's a very touching anecdote printed in the Delhinet:
The first grade teacher gave her class a fun assignment - to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.
Most of the class might be considered economically disadvantaged, but still many would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the subject of most of her students art. And they were.
But Douglas made a different kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind of boy. He was the teacher's true child of misery, frail and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess at the pain Douglas felt behind those sad eyes.
Yes, his picture was different. When asked to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful, he drew a hand. Nothing else. Just an empty hand.
His abstract image captured the imagination of his peers. Whose hand could it be? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers raise turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds us. And so the discussion went - until the teacher almost forgot the young artist himself.
When the children had gone on to other assignments, she paused at Douglas' desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was.
The little boy looked away and murmured, "It's yours, teacher." She recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked him here or there, as she had the other students. How often had she said, "Take my hand, Douglas, we'll go outside." Or, "Let me show you how to hold your pencil." Or, "Let's do this together." Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's hand.
Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work.
The story speaks of more than thankfulness. It is about the hand that accompanies. The hand that 'assists'. The hand that reaches out.
The first grade teacher gave her class a fun assignment - to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.
Most of the class might be considered economically disadvantaged, but still many would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the subject of most of her students art. And they were.
But Douglas made a different kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind of boy. He was the teacher's true child of misery, frail and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess at the pain Douglas felt behind those sad eyes.
Yes, his picture was different. When asked to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful, he drew a hand. Nothing else. Just an empty hand.
His abstract image captured the imagination of his peers. Whose hand could it be? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers raise turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds us. And so the discussion went - until the teacher almost forgot the young artist himself.
When the children had gone on to other assignments, she paused at Douglas' desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was.
The little boy looked away and murmured, "It's yours, teacher." She recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked him here or there, as she had the other students. How often had she said, "Take my hand, Douglas, we'll go outside." Or, "Let me show you how to hold your pencil." Or, "Let's do this together." Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's hand.
Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work.
The story speaks of more than thankfulness. It is about the hand that accompanies. The hand that 'assists'. The hand that reaches out.
Myself...
Now for some self-glorification.... for once!!
Some photos clicked by Prashanth while at Kondadaba for the Media seminar... I thought I was seeing Willy, my brother! He too has the same mouth formation when he talks in public - and why not, both of us are from the same company! Think I should see more of myself, besides the two times I see myself in the mirror to comb my hair.
Some photos clicked by Prashanth while at Kondadaba for the Media seminar... I thought I was seeing Willy, my brother! He too has the same mouth formation when he talks in public - and why not, both of us are from the same company! Think I should see more of myself, besides the two times I see myself in the mirror to comb my hair.
Quotes and minds...
Rajee, my friend has this amusing quote on her gmail account: Imagination, some have it. Others imagine, they have it!
Then there was this quote on the back outer cover of Delhinet: Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.
Now I think many would say that the latter quote has much to do with philosophy and not real life. Not sure if people from the HRD could be positive about that. Anyhow, as with regards to religious life, I'm sure this quote stands good. For most often, when we talk people we only have something negative about them. Rarely do we dwell on some positive aspects of individuals - except maybe during funerals!
Then there was this quote on the back outer cover of Delhinet: Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.
Now I think many would say that the latter quote has much to do with philosophy and not real life. Not sure if people from the HRD could be positive about that. Anyhow, as with regards to religious life, I'm sure this quote stands good. For most often, when we talk people we only have something negative about them. Rarely do we dwell on some positive aspects of individuals - except maybe during funerals!
20 October 2008
Talking to God
Thanks to Cheryl who sent me a book titled 'Mister God, This is Anna' I remember hearing about this book long time ago. But not sure when and in what context. However, I opened it to glance at it before I put it aside to read it for a "leisure... relaxed time" and this sentence caught my fancy:
Anna got involved with everything and anything: her involvement was on such a deep level that very little ever frightened her. She was ready to meet everything on its own terms. At whatever level the thing existed, Anna would be there to meet it. Occasionally she'd run into a situation for which she had no adequate word. She'd invent one, either a brand-new one or she'd teach an old one to do a new trick...
That being said of a tiny little girl was a bit too much for me. Comparing with my life, where I try to get out of the many things I get drawn into, I find it extremely amusing - all that involvement thing.
And then I closed the book. There was the title staring me in the face: 'MISTER GOD, THIS IS ANNA'. I asked myself, do I do that... Do I ask/talk/converse with God?
Anna got involved with everything and anything: her involvement was on such a deep level that very little ever frightened her. She was ready to meet everything on its own terms. At whatever level the thing existed, Anna would be there to meet it. Occasionally she'd run into a situation for which she had no adequate word. She'd invent one, either a brand-new one or she'd teach an old one to do a new trick...
That being said of a tiny little girl was a bit too much for me. Comparing with my life, where I try to get out of the many things I get drawn into, I find it extremely amusing - all that involvement thing.
And then I closed the book. There was the title staring me in the face: 'MISTER GOD, THIS IS ANNA'. I asked myself, do I do that... Do I ask/talk/converse with God?
19 October 2008
The grass on the other side...
The saying that grass is greener on the other side came to my mind when I envied the silence and peace at Kondadaba during my four day stay there. No phone call (because there are no signals at all!) nobody knocking at your door asking for soap, fish or God knows what, no big tensions of what to tell the cooks to prepare for meals, no haggling with the technicians and others for some crazy hook or stand!!! No internet too!!! (Now that deficiency was not that green!)
Felt nice to relive the art of doing nothing on a perfectly beautiful day. But what to do, looks like I've got addicted to this fast paced life... I was bored by the end of the second day!
Furthermore meeting the street children at Fr Sojan's place (Vizag) last night, forced me say to myself, 'I could have very well spent a day with them!'
Anyway, back at home now and life is in full swing!
Felt nice to relive the art of doing nothing on a perfectly beautiful day. But what to do, looks like I've got addicted to this fast paced life... I was bored by the end of the second day!
Furthermore meeting the street children at Fr Sojan's place (Vizag) last night, forced me say to myself, 'I could have very well spent a day with them!'
Anyway, back at home now and life is in full swing!
Editorial style of consciousness
Something that struck me after I spoke to the Brothers at Kondadaba about news reporting and truth content in them, I realised that most often our memory and style of focus is also just like the editorials that appear in every paper. Most often they are very touching and hit hard. But that's for that day. The next day there is something else that is being discussed. What then of what was written the previous day? ... gone with the wind, I guess!
Perhaps that's how we work too. Just for the day!
Perhaps that's how we work too. Just for the day!
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