Tale of Two Trees..!
Two trees stand outside my window. One is a peepul tree. The other, according to my gardener, is a junglee neem. This summer has been brutal. The sun has been behaving as if it has been personally offended by all forms of vegetation. The two trees suffered terribly. The peepul…
Prayer and Its Aftereffects…!
There is something about prayer we do not fully understand when we begin praying seriously. We imagine prayer is placing an order before God, and then waiting for delivery. Preferably same day delivery. With tracking number. And if possible, gift wrapped. But prayer does not work that way. The Bible…
How We Love to Exclude..!
How we love excluding people. Everywhere I go I see signs that politely, firmly, and sometimes proudly keep people out. “For Members Only.” “Residents Only.” “Parking for Office Bearers.” “Private Function.” And the more exclusive the place, the bigger the smile on the face of the person who belongs inside….
Do You Pray for Our Country?
Every morning we hear some terrible news: Riots somewhere. Corruption somewhere else. Children harmed. Leaders shouting. Wars brewing. Prices rising. Hatred spreading faster than kindness. And after reading all this, almost everybody says the same sentence in despair: “What is happening to our country?” Or even more dramatically: “What is…
Make a Bargain With God..!
I often pass churches where notices solemnly announce nine day novenas, thirteen Fridays or Wednesdays, special candles and assorted spiritual schemes which sometimes sound suspiciously like festive discount offers. Come nine days and receive one miracle free. Light twelve candles and perhaps promotion in office. Offer flowers and whispered requests…
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.