Is “gratitude” losing its essence!
Gratitude is the inner feeling of thankfulness and gratefulness for people, things, changes in better life, jobs and moments or a problem resolved, a favour given, an expected result and times something negative turning out to be a blessing in disguise. For most, It is a feeling of thankfulness for improved life with God grace and blessings.
But in today’s world, what is gratitude to us? Is it the stereo type habit of saying thank you to someone or your own who has done unexpected wonders for us? Or is it the way for you to strengthen the bond and relationship with those you are grateful too?
If we are asked what we are grateful for, I’m sure we can come up with a list of things. But if we are asked for how long were we grateful for those things, and how often we feel grateful, do we have a definitive answer, for most, a big No? However, these days, Gratitude is buried in seconds when a carpet of overwhelming happiness is rolled out in one’s stressed life..
Take note of today’s greatest example looking at the electorates who faithfully vote, awaiting prosperous changes or look for the value of paying taxes – but in return they have to walk through dirty drain rain water, risk their lives falling into a drainage gutter or even get washed away, none do care! Few have woken up and learned that their land is grabbed with the assistance of their own blood and some don’t even know if their parents admitted in the aged home are dead, alive or kicking. Look at those who have over the years received sacrifices of grave efforts from their grandparents, parents, caretakers, well-wishers, mentors – do they even have any gratitude or remember them even for a second? Indeed the life has changed and will continue to change with the murder of humanity with no remorse or Gratitude!
I end with a famous quote ” When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in – It is all about having an attitude of gratitude”
Gaston Dias, Sarzora
Forgotten highways in Goa
The debate about roads in Goa continues as if it is a recent phenomenon. Politicians and Bureaucrats are comically still talking about taking action
What somehow has escaped attention is a larger cash swallowing issue. The highway from Dabolim Airport to Atal Setu is a veritable unending rumbler of about 25 km. It’s just been completed as a concrete road but affords a horrible uncomfortable ride like no other highway ever. One scarcely knows how it can be rectified at this stage. It’s better to confront the builders now while they are still on site. How did it ever pass muster with the central highway and transport authorities. Surely the central minister Mr Gadkari has been in the know. Who will bell this cat? In the short term it will cause untold damage to the suspension of all vehicles and long/medium term the concrete will give way leading to potholes that can only be patched up. It would be good to know the name of the competent (sic) authority overseeing this aspect.
The Highway is a saga of speedboats and rumblers.
Zerxis Umrigar, Arpora
Caging the bluebird
A day after the July 4 deadline set by the government for a microblogging transnational to comply with IT rules, the company launched legal proceedings by challenging its orders in Indian courts. Alleging abuse of power by the government, the social media platform said it has been coerced by the Centre to block accounts and posts supportive of farmers’ protests, Covid mishandling, the tanking economy, unemployment data, persecution of minorities and comments critical of official policies and ordinances. The SM giant said that many removal orders for taking down content did not meet procedural or substantial requirements of section 69 A of India’s IT act but simply smacked of vindictiveness, disproportionate use of power and ill intent. Strongly censuring these diktats, many of which even failed to give notice to the authors of the content as an attack on the freedom of speech, the platform has been locked in an eyeball to eyeball confrontation with the Indian government for over two years now. According to industry transparency reports India has the highest number of government orders (disguised as ‘requests’) for content takedown, internet shutdowns and press censorship. The saffron dispensation has been in conflict with its own people, opposition ruled states, international accountability bodies, human rights organizations, the UN and media companies which show a mirror to the ruling elite. The self proclaimed vishwaguru has become an international pariah and a laugh stock for the entire world. How long can the sarkar go on firefighting fires stoked by itself; conflict, conflagration and confrontation has to be replaced by concord, consensus and conscience. We are in a race to the bottom, a nation at war with itself will ultimately be reduced to ashes, there is simply no possibility of any other outcome.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
When can we start process of healing?
It was heart-wrenching to read in the papers and see the photographs of the large scale flooding and landslides that Goa witnessed on the July 4. Providentially there were no casualties but this a warning for us as the fury of the monsoons disrupted normal life in Goa. This situation has to be ascribed to the rampant violation of norms that nature has bestowed on our state of Goa. When will these politicians begin to acknowledge that following the tenets of nature will go a long way in being able to restore what is left of this naturally endowed State that for long now has had to bear the consequences of infringement of natural laws? If the voices of the environmentalists are not heeded, Goa will deteriorate into a land that will be just a shadow of its glorious days of yore. Can we be silent spectators to the rampant concretization of Goa? When will those who govern, even by a minority percentage of the votes, open their eyes and see what their greed has brought us to? Arise Goans and begin to give your healing touch to our State. If each one of us finds one way to contribute to saving our land from the rampant axe of unsustainable development and wrongful acts against nature, we can make a difference and change the path we are on. Take that as your task… your mission should you choose to accept it… Find an illegality to question, a right to wrong, a politician or practice to question. Fight for Goa any way you can.
Stephen Dias, Dona Paula
Murder of democracy
From the manner in which the governors of non -BJP ruled states conduct themselves, one really wonders whether they have been planted in the states with a single agenda ‘to do everything possible to topple the incumbent government and facilitate the BJP combine to form and run the government smoothly thereafter’! The manner in which Maharashtra Governor helped the newly formed BJP alliance government elect a new Speaker throwing all norms to winds, exposes the fact that the Governors act more as a member of the BJP party than as a constitutional head of the state. One really wonders where the country is headed to!
Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai
