Jenny smirked bitterly as she saw boys and girls all over town making cribs to put a small baby doll, they called Jesus, into it. “What good can that baby do?” she thought bitterly. “It’s time we stopped these silly traditions!” It was a chilly winter evening in the city…
A Small Detour..!
A couple of years ago while traveling in scenic Austria, I got down from the car and sat by the side of a mountain beside a flowing brook. It was so restful and peaceful and I was nearly lulled to sleep by the sound of the water, but knowing it…
Turn the Day Around..!
“This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it..” Psalm 118 How you get up from bed and face the day, with a smile or with a frown, may well be how your day will turn out to be. The day before may…
Let’s Learn from Bangladesh..!
Most Indians are shocked by the violence against Hindus and the destruction of temples in Bangladesh. Even as our minds look with disbelief, remembering the sacrifice of our brave soldiers liberating Bangladesh, while fighting a war on two flanks, we need to also look at our own country with the…
Throw Your Potatoes Away..!
Have we ever realized what a stench we raise when we carry grudges and bitterness around? A kindergarten teacher decided to let her class play a game. The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato would be given…
Look for the Manger in People..!
As we approach Christmas, most carols, hymns or readings speak about Jesus being born in a manger. But where is that manger in Bethlehem? Sadly, no lone manger exists by itself there, because a huge basilica has been built at the very place where the greatest message of humility was…
Let Go of Your Wooden Apples..!
I wonder what your wooden apples are. Before you begin to wonder what I’m talking about, do read this story: There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired. One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl…
I’ll Still Take the Risk..!
A few months ago, I lent a friend some money and he hasn’t been able to pay me back. “You’re a fool Bob!” said many of my friends, “you knew it was a losing proposition, why did you venture where angels fear to tread?” I shrugged my shoulders and smiled; all…
Legal, Official, Bribery..!
There’s a new method of bribery which has come into being in our nation; the legal, official bribe! We’ve just seen this in the Maharashtra elections where women were promised one thousand five hundred rupees per month by a party. The party won, the people are jubilant, thinking they have…
Battles are Lost Everyday..!
Something I tell my would-be writers is that editing your story or article or letter is as important as crafting the piece. In fact, I am also party to such a fault, and have a cousin of mine who regularly corrects my mistakes. I am thankful to her for patiently…
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.