Xavier's cornucopia

  An incident about the confidential note which Edison's teacher wrote about his son's performance in school.  It was written 'do not sent your child to school from tomorrow; he is mentally ill'.  After reading the note the mother was in tears and she told his son that the teacher had written that your son was a genius, and there is no teacher in school to his capacity.  Next day onwards she took the responsibility to teach him at home and he becoming  the world's greatest inventor is history.  Many years after his mother's demise, a folded note was found in the families belongings, which stated the real reason.  Many thinkers and historians have reacted and written about Edison's mind. But   at this point of time my mind and heart goes out to those noble mothers who have dedicated their life for the welfare of their children. Happy are those parents now who have invested their time and energy for the upbringing of their wards,  enjoying thei...

  There is no need to search my memory to unearth the most important friend in my life.  Also there does not arise the selection process,  to visualise the front runner at this golden age. I would like to go back to my primary school period where I came across a neighbour friend's relative who used to visit their house during school holidays.  Most pampered neighborhood friends name is P J Joy.  Evenings a baker used to visit houses with fresh baked items like cakes, biscuits and sweet buns.  At the sound of his cycle bell Joy and his younger brother Alosius would cover the metal tin picking their choicest eatables.  They could afford to buy as his father was earning well in a faraway city. The neighbour's relative who frequented their house was none other than their cousin Anto.  We made contact with him and played with tennis balls and marbles.  But these relationships could not last long as their mother moved to Ernakulam with their childr...

  Writing letter is an art.  But treasuring those letters written by your dear ones is priceless,  should have a heart.  It may turn into a trove as the antiquity value goes up over a period of time.  I was very fond of writing letters, not that I had that literary acumen to attract the receiver, but my expression always was a genuine one.  So the person who received my letter used to definitely respond with a reply.  Two persons who used to entice me in my youth have now become untraceable,  and the third one have left for his heavenly abode.  These two person with whom I had a personal connect are my best  friends in construction days. They have helped me in my dire days, influenced to build my character and knowledge base.  The third person is none other than my spiritual Guru and my family well wisher Rev Fr P E Antony.  All the three persons used to communicate with me whenever they are away from my resident city. ...

  My ambition in life is to write something worth reading or do something worth writing.  One day I will find the right words and they will be simple. Writing is like ...., first you do it for love, then you do it for your friends and then you do it for money. You never have to change anything, if you are filled with an urge you will be sleepless to get up in the middle of the night to write.  I have had many such urges but it all ended up as drops of pee in the urinal, but not as words which could be copied in the paper I have kept for this purpose. How vein it is to sit up to write when you have not stood up to live. If there is a book you want to read but it is not written yet, then you must write it. The beauty of writing is as the writer provide the words the readers give their imagination.  Always start with a place and the character appears on the scene and talk to each other. Are these imaginations going to take shape as words and figures or going to end up l...

  The other day  a friend of last 46 years  visited my house to cement our friendship and polish the rusty parts (if any).  He came along with his brother in law who lives in our locality also a member of our Parish.  The friend's name is Delphin B Ferz,  who is known as 'friends' in the construction office circle.  The story goes back to year 1977. I was appointed as a construction office assistant in ICI Pharmaceutical site for a vacancy actually was for an Engg Draughtsman.  Later on as the Chief Architect of Plant design Mr Pramanik insisted another appointment was made and Delphin joined the team.  We both were appointed on the rolls of Architects C R Narayana Rao who made monthly payments after deducting his commission of 30 percent. Our friendship has taken roots, shoots and flowers while visiting the CRN office for salary and then Nageswara Park where we took  our heats off.  On holidays I frequented to his lodge Nadar's Ga...

  Jean Valjean is the protagonist in the classic novel by Victor Hugo. His story of his incarceration in jail, release,  the reformation and success  is the story line in ' Les Miserables'. I am going to tell you about a boy who had impressed me much due to his energy, service and attitude towards work etc.  The boy overwhelmed me  in the ICI canteen as a server.  His hardwork and pleasing manners earned him a job as a society clerk, a temporary contractual job.  Later when he was absorbed as a staff in Zeneca I was happy that  he deserved and earned what he stood for. After shifting of Zeneca from Ennore premises I lost contact with him but was sure that he would have excelled in career wherever he was.  Hs name is Rajendran. In the year 2013, after VRS from ICI in 2002 I was working in Anthus Pharmaceuticals in Kilpauk.  On the second day of August I  re joined in office after an Angioplasty,  with two stents and  a ligh...

  Detached attachment' is the optimal mantra where the feeling of ownership is eliminated and replaced with a feeling of 'custodianship. ' An ownership feeling creates a sense of attachment in an implicit manner, whereas a custodian feeling creates a sense of detachment with a pure sense of love. Detached attachment,  here are some things you can try. Identify the reason. Ask yourself why you're now deciding to detach from the relationship. ... Release your emotions. ... Don't react, respond. ... Start small. ... Keep a journal. .. Meditate. ... Be patient with yourself. ... Look forward. My memory goes back to 2016, our visit to London for the baby shower of my daughter.  Great expectation of a grandson in our family,  had practiced lullaby for the tiny wonder.  After the discharge from Queens hospital Illford on the third day, when the baby was brought to our bed room in the silence of the night, I could not resist humming to his ears 'chupke chupke' by fa...

  Reading and writing has become the most important objective in my life as though limited time is left to complete a voluminous task,  more and more time is spent for this purpose.  I used to sit for hours reading articles from the News paper,  taking notes from my favourite columnists and then re reading  through the old book collections. My wife used to complain about less time being alloted for a fruitful dialogue.  She used to complain that I used to open my mouth only to grab whatever being served on the plate from time to time.  To this valid accusation a solution has to be found immediately.   We used to see  a passtime of common interest, that is spending an hour with her in solving daily Crossword puzzles from 'the Hindu'. She mastered the brain teaser within a short period as most of the solution to puzzles related to science which she imparted to her students for the past 30 years.  I also found some time to assist her in kit...

  My first day travel to St Albert's College from Vypeen to Ernakulam was a celebration at home. I was escorted by my father upto the bus terminus; on the way granny Anathasia grinned exhibiting her beetle stained teeth. I was not much amused, because she was one of the leading volunteer of local moral police. Immediately I looked and felt my right foot where I got the whacking from my parents six to seven years back on a serious complaint raised by her for playing football at the church yard after the school. That evening the moral police made a special appearance in the late hours of the day and made a request to see me.  She asked my mother to make a special concoction of raw egg and pepper to be administered to your son who had a mighty fall in the church compound.  My God, it was the boy who made the twirling round of few metres after kicking the ball on the ground. This statement was sufficient for inflicting injuries on my feet as a warning.  I felt the pain a...