A squirrel displaces neighbours!

Anna and I spent the night  with Drs. Obey and Sheila Cherian yesterday at Ambilikkai, a village where they have been engaged in offering community based health care for 25 years or so.

Outside their home, is a garden with creepers full of blossoms. We watched a squirrel feeding on honey from the flowers. Obey mentioned that squirrels have changed their food habits as the campus has more flowers than nuts and cereals. So honey bees, butter flies, dragon fly, etc. have almost disappeared from the campus. The only competitors to the squirrels are the honey suckers, who are fast enough to fly away from the attacking squirrels. 

What is manifest is a survival instinct mixed with animosity. There is decreasing tolerance between humans beings. We are riddled with competitive and acquisitive spirit in human behaviour.

While visiting Sevagram in 1979, where Mahatma Gandhi spent about 15 years during the independence movement, we were shown a New testament, which he read regularly. There were several places where the Bible verses were marked in color pencil; the pages containing the sermon of Jesus of Nazareth from the Mount in the Mathew’s gospel were crowded with entries, dates, and markings. The volunteer reminded us that Gandhi found inspiration for non-violence, tolerance and human brotherhood from the sermon on the mount.  

We live among people who feel the pain of deprivation and displacement  Peace is not just tranquil and bliss, but an attitude of love towards oneself and others. God is the source of this peace.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)