Lady Boss Honors Cook For 60 Years of Service! 5 Senior Citizens Celebrate B-Days by Planting Saplings
Lady Boss Honors Cook For 60 Years of Service! 5 Senior Citizens Celebrate B-Days by Planting Saplings
Mangaluru: We all know how trees help Earth in purifying the air and absorbing the carbon from the atmosphere. Trees are vital. As the most crucial component of our ecosystem, they give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilize the soil, conserve water, ameliorate the climate and give life to the world’s wildlife. They also provide us with the materials for tools and shelter. We all must plant trees on every possible occasion. Why not celebrate birthdays by planting birthday tree and see your birthday tree growing as you grow. Imagine if each of us plant a tree on our birthday, world will have at least 7.8 billion trees soon.
While we celebrate many days like Environment Day, Earth Day, Water day, No Tobacco Day, Car-Free day, International Youth Day etc- and we try to be part of them, besides these important days, everyone has their own very special day- that is our Birthdays. As a responsible inhabitant of this planet, I feel that everyone should celebrate their birthdays in an eco-friendly way-just like what these three girls did. Planting saplings/trees on your birthday is the best way to have a greener celebration on special days like birthdays, anniversaries and other happy occasions.
I wish people would start this tradition and make this world a much better and greener place to live for all of us. Change has to begin from us, so whoever is reading this article, make it a practice to plant a tree for your next birthday and spread the word among others. Let’s think of environment and plant trees ourselves and encourage others too to do so. The state of environment we are in today-it’s only the trees that can help us come out of this situation. Trees are the best creation of God and provide benefits not only for the environment but also for humans. Trees are one of the most efficient ways to combat climate change and global warming. It would be a big positive move towards environmental protection if we all start planting Birthday trees/Anniversary Trees and help promote this idea till it becomes the most trending thing.
Few days ago two girls celebrated their birthdays in a unique way by planting saplings on their birthdays- and following close on heels five senior citizens also took the decision to plant saplings on their birthdays- and they were all happy that they made the surroundings a little greener, even at their golden ripe age, being senior citizens with the heart of youth. The five birthday babies were- Ms Tilly Peris, age 80 {17 July 1938}; John Monteiro- age 80 {17 July 1938}; Ms Eliza Crasto-age 79 {born in 1939}; Romney Colaco, age 64 {17 July 1954} and Valerian Pereira, age 74.
Prior to planting of saplings programme, a Eucharistic Mass was celebrated at the Nazareth Niwas, {a home for the Elderly} Chapel-Bondel, Mangaluru by Fr Santhosh Kamath Sj, along with Fr Anil Alfred D’souza- Director of Family Service Centre at Milagres Church, Mangaluru. In his homily Fr Santhosh Kamath praised the service rendered by Aunty Tilly Peris by visiting sick people at hospitals and old-age homes, drug-addicted persons, ashrams etc, and spreading the message of the teachings of Jesus Christ, and making a difference in lives of these people. “She has been doing this community service for years, and even at this age she has not quit. This shows her love to the sick and less fortunate. She is just another living Mother Teresa of Mangaluru, caring and loving those in need of care and love. We need to follow in the footsteps of Ms Peris and serve those in need and thereby make a difference in their lives” added Fr Santhosh.
The Mass and birthday celebrations was attended by near and dear friends of Ms Tilly Peris and the other four birthday babies? The celebration began with lighting the deepas attached to a banana tree, in a true tradition to mark Vanamahotsava- and very one liked this concept. The lighting of the lamp preceded after this. Like the saying goes, “Too many cooks spoil the Broth”, but in this case, Ms Peris and her husband Late John Peris, an estate owner had only one cook, who joined them at the age of 13 years, and even until now has been cooking for Ms Peris, which makes his 60 years of service as a beloved, dedicated and sincere Cook. And on this occasion, Cook Valerian Pereira was honored by his Lady Boss Ms Peris with a shawl and cash. These days, finding an honest and dedicated servant or a cook, is tough- and even if you find one, they will disappear or join to work somewhere else who will pay them a Rupee more? But it was indeed a kind gesture and courteousness on the part of Ms Peris to honor a trustworthy Cook, who had been with her and her late husband for so many years.
Ms Tilly Peris was also greeted by Fr Lawrence Pinto-the founder of Missionary Society of Infant Jesus-Pinto Valley, Kavoor-Mangaluru along with his assistant Fr Ravi Kumar Bathula, who also offered the prayers before the meals. Music Maestro F M Lobo and his orchestra sangs beautiful hymns during the Mass, and later entertained the crowd with some Konkani and English foot-tapping numbers. It was indeed a well celebrated birthdays by these five Senior Citizens, keeping the environment theme in mind, for a better and cleaner atmosphere. Whatever they did for the Nature is ultimately something that they did to their own deepest selves.
They gave back to Mother Nature and there was no better way to do that than to plant trees on the day of their birth. And they all felt really elated while planting the saplings on their birthdays.
So while these vintage folks could think of something that could benefit the Nature, we also should follow in their footsteps and think of environment and plant trees ourselves and encourage others too to do so. The state of environment we are in today-it’s only the trees that can help us come out of this situation. Trees are the lifelines and lungs of Earth. July is Vanamahotsava Month- so there is still time to celebrate by each one of us planting one or two saplings in our neighbourhood.
