Solitary Soul

CREATIVE THINKING AND INSIGHT Mario D’Couto             All of us have our own sets of troubles and problems and it is in our hands to face or deal with them. But the question is how does one do that? Most of the major discoveries in science that led to a breakthrough in modern technology began with a problem in mind or at least something that baffled, puzzled or made them curious. The discovery of gravity by Newton and the mass energy relation by Einstein are some examples that can be given in this regard. So what is it that made them to think differently? Creative thinking!           Sometimes creative thinking and insight are understood synonymously but actually they are different. Creative thinking leads to insight. Bernard Lonergan, a Jesuit priest, would describe insight as a combination of experience, understanding and judgement, all of which is a process towards gaining insight. How do...

CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF A CRISIS ? Mario D’Couto             William Manchester in his book , “ A world lit only by fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance” tells us that from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance, there was nothing significant that happened, in the sense that there was no significant discovery or invention that raised the standard of human living other than the water wheel which was probably around 800 A.D. and the windmill which came around 1100 A.D. Worst of all, it seemed to be a time steeped in myth and superstition! However, if you have read the books, “The Catholic Church and Science” by Benjamin Wiker and “ God’s Philosophers” by James Hannam, they give a very different picture where they talk about how the medieval times laid the foundation for modern science.             The purpose of this blogpost, of course, is ...

MAKING USE OF YOUR TIME Mario D’Couto “Ordinary people think merely of spending time. Great people think of using it.” -           Unknown “The key is not spending time but in investing it.” -           Stephen R. Covey “Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves” -            Lord Chesterfield             As we continue to find ourselves in this global lockdown, I thought of taking the opportunity to write about something that is quite often taken for granted and that’s, rest. Rest has always, in most cases, been perceived as a passive activity, a nap, lying on the couch, watching sports on television or binge – watching a popular series on Netflix or Amazon Prime. That’s one form of rest. But do you know that physical activity is more restful t...

SUFFERING, PAIN, WISDOM AND GROWTH Mario D’Couto "When you get what you want, that's God's direction. When you don't get what you want, that's God's protection." In preparation for the Easter Triduum and given the time that we find ourselves, doing all we can to fight the deadly pandemic, I thought of taking the opportunity to share something that may be helpful. Sometimes God blesses us with good things and we are on top of the world. But when we don’t experience good things, we feel like the whole world is coming down on us. This is where our faith is put to the test and the more it is subjected to it, the stronger it will become. There are only two things that can happen when one’s faith is tested: either it will crumble or it will become stronger. The main thing is to stay put in the midst of the storm, for in the end we will become stronger. Adversity makes some people better while for some it could make them bitter. It is all on ho...

IS GOD YOUR ‘WANT’ OR YOUR ‘NEED’ ? Mario D’Couto             Let me begin with the question, is a ‘want’ and a ‘need’ the same? Can we speak of these two attributes of the human person synonymously? A ‘want’ is something that a person can do without whereas a ‘need’ is something that is essential for one’s survival. I may ‘want’ an Armani suit or a Gucci watch or a Nike sports shoes but if I don’t have it, will my life stop? Absolutely not! On the other hand, I would definitely ‘need’ food, clothing and a roof above my head. I am sure this is something that we can all relate to as this is what constitutes the essential needs of the human person. However, there is another essential need which perhaps has many a times been ignored or taken for granted and that’s the need for intimacy.             Yes! Intimacy is a need. You cannot live long without food to ...