BIRTH CENTENARY REMEMBRANCE
 
JOHN F. SALDANHA
(Saldanha’s Coffee – Mumbai)
21.11.2009
 
 
THIS WAS OUR DAD...
 
What follows are a few words of tribute to a much-loved father on the centenary of his birth, Nov 21, 2009
 
 
"These are the things to cherish,
A seed, a dream, and a child.
Else must all things perish,
Else must the earth grow wild." (Anon)
 
As a child in our home, it was easy to feel cherished. Dad's work days were gruelingly long, but the moment he entered the door, the circle of our family was complete.The mutual respect and love he and Mum shared with each other became a bedrock of security for us all. We laughed a lot in that happy home, and their generous spirits pulled into their embrace so many of you who spent a few days, a few weeks, or a few years at Saldanha House. We hope you have as many happy memories as we do.
 
Dad was blessed in his little business. And in running it he taught us life-long lessons: to treat our customers like kings; to be kind and generous to all who worked for us; to be proud of that little shop because it was ours (yes,every one of us started with a broom or duster cleaning the shop). And finally, he taught us that it was important to dream, but to dream pragmatically. He was content with what God had given us, and never wanted to grow larger than his own capabilities of managing our business.
 
And then there were the plants. Here, he clearly dreamed big with his hobby gone wild! Who but our sweet Dad could create his mini jungle replete with complicated watering systems and gro-lights. He loved his plants and they surely loved him back with extraordinary blooms that won him admiration and so many friends in Bombay's plant circles.
 
So, this was our Dad…….....
Linguistically gifted, he was equally comfortable with Farsi and French as he was with Konkani and Kannada.
A voracious reader, he filled our home with books and periodicals, including his favorite The London Economist.
A lover of libraries, he was a patron of the Petit Library, the Alliance Francaise, and his club, Le Cercle Litteraire.
An appreciator of classical music, he started us young on the piano, but had the wisdom to let each of us pursue the training to a level of our choosing.
Fascinated by technology, he had state of the art machinery in our shop, and a home filled with gadgetry that would have made the UN proud...German espresso makers, American washer and dryer, French pressure cookers, Swedish cooking range...the list goes on.
A true nature lover, he spent many years raising prized roller canaries, not to speak of the dogs, tropical fish, and yes, chickens!
Generous beyond measure, he gave regularly to a wide range of charities and then gave again quietly to individuals in need.
Clear sighted, he encouraged us to look at the world through a different prism, to take any road we pleased as Mark Twain said, because "it curves always, which is a continual promise."
 
This was our Dad... On November 21, on the centenary of his birth, we hope there will be a party going on in heaven with Dad, Mum, our dearest Rudi, and all our loved ones. Here, we raise a cup of cheer to this extraordinary man who lived Helen Keller's words, "The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." Thank you Dad for teaching us how to feel with our hearts. We love you now and forever.
 
Godfrey, Maya, and Meghna
Melanie, Ryan, Simona, and Carl
Melba, Bob, Mireille, Matt, and Katie
Eustace, Lorraine, and Roland
 
“I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”
Stephan Grellet