What Really Matters

  •   Sat, May 14 2011
  •   Dr Cynthia Menezes Prabhu

May 15, 2011

As I walked out of the class with my laptop and attendance register in hand, the charger cord suddenly slipped. In trying to balance and hold everything, I had to let go of something I guess and so the cord fell on the ground from my hand. As I stood for a moment deciding how to pick it up, I noticed the attender sitting in his place and watching me, yet making no move to help.  Students filing out behind me came upon the scene, with "Mam…. We would have…" etc., and the issue was over.

It was eight thirty in the evening and I had been taking an evening class after a whole day’s work. As I drove home that evening, my mind was filled with sad thoughts and the vision of the attender just not bothering to assist me. My husband needs to be told, I thought, he would corroborate with my feelings. My mind went out to the times when unofficially I had helped the young man in so many ways, over nearly ten years, because that’s how long I had known him. Another thought of not saying anything to my husband over an issue that was not really important and spoiling an already short evening, occurred as I passed the Cantonment Station.

Suddenly a new thought came to me. I had forgotten to take my cell phone with me and it was still at home. My desk phone was out of order and there was no way for my husband to contact me. Having had to talk over some small issues with the students who followed me to my cabin, had delayed me a little more and I was certainly driving home later than usual. Would my husband be worried? Oh yes, I better hurry, I thought.

On the junction of Clarks’ and pottery roads, was a vendor with a truck load of mangoes. Stopping to buy, I knew that I was really running late and my husband would be certainly worried. Just as the attender in the office had not bothered, perhaps my husband also would not be bothered, I thought. Perhaps he would be busy with the news on TV or something to notice that I was late. Buying mangoes, though with a guilty conscience, I drove home.

Would my husband be worried about me or not? Yes or no? As I turned onto our street, from a distance, I could see my husband’s striped tee shirt as he stood on the road with the gate wide open, waiting anxiously for me. Why had I bothered about who had or had not helped me? Who really mattered was there! And he had been there all the while that I had been skeptical about him! As I reversed into my portico I thanked the Lord for his angels on earth who make life worth living!
Dr Cynthia Menezes Prabhu
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Comment on this article

  • shahid raza,

    Sun, Jul 17 2011

    Dear Ma'am , its not always easy to put ones feelings into words which u just did mindfully and expressed your thoughts with a lot of wisdom , you are simply wonderful! thank you ma'am ...

  • Nishanth, Bangalore

    Mon, May 30 2011

    Ma'am Good article, value of relations will be known when experienced, when you still want to be lost and still someone is holding you.

  • Ranganathan, Hyderabad

    Sun, May 29 2011

    How subtly Dr.Cynthia has brought out the value of relationship. She has lucidly but powerfully related simple things in our life to bring out the relationship that really matters in one's life. Hats off to her ability to express herself in simple words.

  • Eulalia Dsouza, Bijai/ Mangalore

    Thu, May 19 2011

    Dear Cynthia, am so touched with your article. Simple yet so complicated in deep meaning. I am certain if one can read between the lines, it has an ocean deep message to us all. It is simple that, people who are yours, in your life are yours and they matter a lot to us. People who are not yours, do not matter.

    It reminds me of a message that I read, says, " People who love you and matter to you, dont need an explanation from you, people who seek an explanation from you, do not really matter to you..!!"
    God Bless you my dear.

  • prabha kiran, bangalore

    Thu, May 19 2011

    hi mam.....just one word.."superb" a very thoughtful insight into our small things in life which we tend to ignore...luv u mam for this..n really looking forward to ur next article..cant wait...may god bless u n ur family mam...:):)

  • Dr Anita sriram, Bangalore

    Wed, May 18 2011

    Hi mam
    Article is very impressive and lovely

  • Dr Anita sriram, Bangalore

    Wed, May 18 2011

    Hi maam
    Article is very impressive and lovely

  • Vinuta Shetty, bangalore

    Wed, May 18 2011

    Hello mam, I really wanna thank you for helping me realize that there is always someone in our life who will be caring for us. It may be parents, spouse or children. We should not unnecessarily bother about someone who means nothing to us. Thanks again for your valuable thoughts on life..

  • Mahalakshmi, Bangalore

    Wed, May 18 2011

    hello mam,
    very nice article...my brother too read this and very impressed,who else can we call a "women of substance"....

  • Fr. Alwin Serrao, Rosario Mangalore

    Tue, May 17 2011

    Congrats.
    You were able to replace your disturbing thought with a positive and consoling one. That brought the whole change. Are not our thoughts our mental terrorists?
    Good. All the best.

  • Lawrance, DOha/Mangalore

    Tue, May 17 2011

    Nice and simple  with a great meaning!!!

  • HENRY MISQUITH, M'LORE\BAHRAIN

    Tue, May 17 2011

    Congrats Dr. Cynthi bhai,
    nice article, keep on writing......,
    God bless u wherever u are.
    Henry Misquith
    M'lore/Bahrain

  • Praveen Shetty, mangalore

    Tue, May 17 2011

    I like the article moreover About the first comment by Nammi,
    It was really fantastic, I kept laughing

  • Norbert Sequeira, Mumbai

    Tue, May 17 2011

    Mam, I patiently read ur article. Nice1. Whenever, u face situations, such as these, simply utter to urself 1John.4:4
    "the one who is in me, is greater than the one who is in the world".
    Try it. You will never-never need any1, if u are convenienced, that Jesus is inside me.
    May God Bless U & Ur Fly. Amen

  • Olga B Noronha, Mangalore

    Tue, May 17 2011

    Cynthia,
    It was very interesting reading your article..... so transparent... and catches one on the level of one's feelings. Yet, reading between the lines one can see that you have your head on your shoulders!Good wishes always and may your talent increase!

  • nammi, bairikatte

    Mon, May 16 2011

    Nice article...dont feel bad just kidding ..is any young gal opposite of your home ?

  • Naveen B R, Bangalore

    Mon, May 16 2011

    Dear Mam,
    The article is simply superb. Shows the healthy relationship between Indian husband and wife.
    We do expect still more articles like this from you.

  • Brazil Gomes, Bristol (U.K)

    Mon, May 16 2011

    Hi Cynthibai

    Nice Article, Really interesting facts of life which happen day in and day out in ones life.

    Cousin Brazil

  • Doreen Patrao, Urwa/Bejai

    Mon, May 16 2011

    Good article...cynthie, all the best ...Doreen Patrao nee Monteiro

  • Lokesh, Mangalore

    Mon, May 16 2011

    Hi Mam,
    Very interesting way of telling the simple things in an effective way. U have added emotional touch in ur words... great.

  • Guru Baliga, Mangalore

    Sun, May 15 2011

    The Article is crisp and moving. Complete control over the words, and the process of telling the story as it happens. I would love to immerse myself in such reading. Beautiful. Thanks.

  • Parisa Gohari, Iran/Los Angeles-USA

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Dear Mam,

    You have expressed the beauty of Indian Culture in your article, people in one's life, humanity and love are the most importan elements.
    Beside the formal MBA class room, we could learn so much from you about various aspects of life and i envy the opportunity....

    Your life time student
    Parisa Gohari

  • Doreen, mangalore

    Sun, May 15 2011

    simple fact nicely presented

  • Lucy Menezes, Kottara/Mangalore

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Very good Cynthie! Keep up the good work and keep writing interesting articles like these.

  • D. Prabhu, Bangalore

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Nice one

  • Maria Coelho, Bangalore, Kuwait

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Very well expressed Dr. Cynthia. Very often we find ourselves in situations like these and tend to take those around us for granted. If only we all realise that the people come into our lives for a purpose and move out once the purposed is served, our lives will be much simpler. I guess the very fact that the attender didn't bother to help you made you realise that there was somebody much more dearer and important than him to make you feel secure and loved. In a way the attender was instrumental for your happiness at the end of the day. Its just how we look at things around us and perceive them leads to content or discontent.

  • Preethi, M'lore / Qatar

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Dr Cynthia,
    Meaningful Work..
    Worry about so many things control human beings today. Ur article through light on Giving importance to only Necessary Issues or People. The people who love, care us are the real Angels on Earth for Each of Us..

  • Marie D'Souza, Dubai-UAE

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Very good article and example - you do what is right and leave the rest to God to judge.

  • Synsan :), Kottar

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Well written Cynthie!

  • Noel Francis Lewis, Kinnigoli/Dubai

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Hi,Dr Cynthia Menezes Prabhu! You have expressed a really beautiful simple thoughts in a simple way. You are giving a very strong message to the couples of all age groups knowingly or unknowingly! What more we(they) can expect from a qualified Woman like you? Thanks & All the best

  • Claude Saldanha, Mangalore

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Dear Dr Cynthia,
    Well written. What matters most is the people we love.
    Claude

  • R Prabhu, Bejai

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Well written. It happens so many times in our lives.

  • Nanu Ferns, Kuwait/ Mumbai

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Nice Article Cynthia, at times v assume the worse...but ven it contradicts our thoughts the happiness is immense! God Bless!

  • SHYLA MENEZES, KODICAL, ASHOKNAGAR/DUBAI

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Dear Cynthia,
    Nice article which tells how important it is to control our thoughts. In our day today life negative thoughts can sap us of the energy we need to take action. (Pro 24:10 says: Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress? Your power will be scanty.) Thinking positively will help to control our emotions. One way is to refuse to dwell on negative things that make us feel depressed or insecure. This Bible advice helps us to focus on things that are “serious” and “righteous,” we can replace negative thoughts with positive ones. (Philippians 4:8 says:whatever things are true, of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue there is and whatever praiseworthy thing there is, continue considering these things.) Doing this may not be easy, but with effort it can be done.
    Best Regards,
    Shyla Menezes
    D/o Charles Menezes, Kodical

  • jimmy noronha, Bellore, Kulshekar, Lucknow

    Sun, May 15 2011

    Yesterday, early in the morning, while I was on my walk on the road in Chennai, a bus suddenly stopped close to me and a young lady was running to catch it and she had a white coat in her hand and apparently she was a doctor in the making, and she dropped a black strap with a buckle on it, I alerted her and ran to pick the strap and handed it over to her but she said nothing and I smiled at myself and I felt good never mind the 'thanks'. So, I feel the writer should have picked up the charger and simply ignored the attendant for life has to go on never mind who does or does not do what.

  • bona marcel ofmcap, vittal/Rome

    Sat, May 14 2011

    Dear Mrs. Cynthia,thank you for the simple thought. I know you believe in doing simple things simply but with great devotion and this has raised you to the status of a great person at the university of Bangalore and this because of sheer hard work and utter faith in God. May God bless you and your family plentifully.


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