Trees become firewood !

I come across piled roots of trees, along highways, or in the construction sights. Trees are cut down, whenever there is construction of roads and buildings. The tribal communities are allowed to gather firewood from forests, without felling trees. However poachers enter forests to steal timber and to sell the rest as firewood. It is estimated that we are likely to loose about one third of our forest cover in India  by 2050, at the rate forest areas are used for mining, construction, industrialisation etc.

Trees are the first casualty whenever there is a building or development activity.

There was a commendable effort undertaken recently to transplant a tree of 80 years old in the kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, from a location that was going to occupy the new metro rail. After about ten days of intense activity and effort, the news report suggested that the transplanted tree showed good signs of the prospect of survival.

Anna and I tried to transplant few shrubs in our home. We have had more than fifty percent success although we had no skills to do so. So transplanting trees is an option, although it is effortful and costly.

Trees have a history and story. We destroy it without paying enough attention to it. 

When I visited a home, I happened to notice an album of the trees they have had to cut or lose in the storm and rain. It was refreshing to hear from them their recollections of the stories associated with those trees. Our friend spoke sorrowfully about the mango tree, that got uprooted in the storm, which he used to climb as a child. Often some trees have been part of our lives for years. 

When, Arpit and Anandit visited their grandparents home once, when they were young, the first question they asked was, 'What happened to the Gaua  tree ?' That is the tree they loved climbing to pluck the fruits. They felt the loss and talked about it through out the holidays. 

We associate emotionally with trees when we plant or fell them. Their presence or absence has a bearing on us. Therefore trees do not fall into the disposable category. They have linkages and connections with our history and story. 

With the land being viewed as real estate, we are under pressure to make use of the land for maximum built up area. I wish, we would view the land differently! 

The land is also for a garden, meadow, park, children's play area, forest, etc.

I wish, we would cut a tree as the last resort, after exhausting all other options to preserve it! The retribution for a felled tree, is to plant five other saplings according to the environmentalists!  

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)               

The music of the dawn !

One of the delights of the morning is to watch the sun fall on the trees and the meadow. It is around the same time the birds also join in the chorus of birdsongs, as a mark of coming out of their slumber of the night. 

I listen to the birdsongs with interest and curiosity of late, ever since I have had an opportunity to identify some trees where the birds perch for the night.

Most birds choose a fixed territory for the day and often the same tree for their night shelter. As the morning breaks, the birds begin with their chirping; then it becomes a choral birdsong and subsequently we can hear the reciprocal bird calling. The male birds sing tunefully in an attempt to call out for female birds. This happens almost regularly in the early morning.

As the sun falls on the trees and the meadow in the morning, and the darkness of the night gets dispelled, we too are awakened to salute the newness of the day. Only some of us would have the privilege of visual access to the sunrise, as the buildings and the tress usually obliterate the view of the horizon.   

The sight of the sea and of the mountains early in the morning can be spectacular.

Most of us miss this rhythm of the nature, because we are late risers.

There is no part of the day as unique and refreshing as the dawn.

The best way to join in with the transition of the morning from darkness to light is to choose to be early morning risers and walkers. 

I have missed this for a while now. Since Anna and I left Vellore five years ago, we got used to late nights and getting up too late for an early morning walk. We are making an effort to restore our earlier practice. Even for the physiology of the body, an early morning walk is desirable. A morning walk is valuable as a regular body exercise.

In fact, it can become a meditative walk, if we can carry a Bible verse or passage and ponder over it.

The sights and sounds of the dawn give us feel of the bountiful world that surrounds us. It brings a resonance of gratitude and melody in our soul. It is in nature we see the display of God's handiwork.   

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)   

A 'Kairos' timing!

I watched this ten months old infant moving around in the room by bottom shuffling. He attempted to go on to his knees couple of times. Seeing this, his mother offered him a chair, as a support to get up. He surprised all of us by getting up using the chair as his support. He was ready to stand and he needed a support.

An elderly couple who dropped in to visit talked about their daughter's marriage. They seemed anxious about the delay in finding a suitable boy. They were concerned that their daughter is also in no hurry to get married. 

That is when I remembered the story of this child getting up to stand.   

There was a synchronisation between the child's intent and and the mother's instinct.

Anna and I are too in this state looking for a synchronisation. Following my surgery, both of us have been feeling that this is the right time to think about our future. How shall we live, work and fulfil our calling in the years ahead!

We have begun to look for promptings from our circumstances to choose the direction!

The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes, in chapter three verse two, mentions a list of activities for which an opportune time is appointed, by God of our lives!

To wait for this appropriate time of Kairos, is contrary to the attitude of 'anxious striving' that we see around us. Many people go by a paradigm that what they cannot get now, will be lost for ever. They cannot but believe that in the prevailing competitive culture.

A doctor who had to wait for three years to get into a post graduate training course, told me that this waiting helped him to discover a purpose for his life. While he was waiting for his training opportunity  working in a mission hospital, he was able to discern his calling. He is serving the same hospital as a physician for the last thirty five years.  

There is a timing, a synchronisation, and providence  at work in our lives. 

The boy who had five loaves and two fish, which Jesus of Nazareth used to feed the five thousand men, is a good example of this kairos timing. Jesus was seeking for food and the boy was present ready to give away his food.

When God's intent and our instinct converge, it becomes the opportune time !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)  

Planned tree planting

I happened to notice two men planting teak trees along one side of a paved road in the CMC campus, where there are already hundreds of trees in its hundred acre campus.

I was keen to find out how the teak saplings were chosen! the teak trees grow taller and do not spread out its branches all around to prevent other trees form growing.

As I left them, I saw the sight of a tree (second photo), which spreads out over a large area. The earth around it is free of any green vegetation. The shade its branches provides does not allow other vegetation to grow. There are several trees in the campus like this, which spread out on all sides, making the ground around it inhospitable

for other plants.

I kept thinking about this as I continued my walk. I worked in five medical schools. It was at CMC Vellore, I experienced a climate, where its leadership had a stated policy to allow individual development of its faculty and allowing them freedom to pursue their professional and personal pursuits. I sensed a culture of facilitating space for each faculty, to express themselves fully in thought and action. The consultative process in decision making continues as the hall mark of its work culture.

Most organisations tend to be governed by a hierarchical structure, where the few in the top leadership grow usurping the space belonging to others in the organisation. That is how the leadership subdue others and limit the fuller expression of their skills. The organisational milieu becomes vicious with anger, suspicion and murmuring. I am personally concerned about the intense conflicts in many institutions because the leadership restricts the freedom of growth of its staff.

I was most encouraged to see the planting of the teak tree saplings along the avenue, symbolising the preference for trees that grow tall by giving equal space for other trees to grow tall. It is also an investment because the teak trees can later become timber for valuable furniture,  doors and windows of houses!

When we consciously allow others to grow and create space for their presence and expression, we invest into the future to create a community of those who live mindful of each other. People when given encouragement to be 'themselves' will in all probability grow up to allow others to be 'themselves'.

This was how, Jesus of Nazareth created space for each of his disciples, who were temperamentally different from each other. He did not strive to change them, but directed them to a higher calling! That made them different over a period of time!

Let us make space for each person. That is how we can facilitate enlargement of people for self giving!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Hidden for a purpose

I waited at a quiet wayside during my mid day walk, seeing two squirrels intimidate a wood pecker.

For a long time the wood pecker kept moving around this intertwined wood, protecting itself from being chased by them. 

After about five minutes, the wood pecker flew away to a taller tree.

I have watched this complex situation often during my walks. The squirrels claim the right of way, whether there are warblers, parakeets or sparrows on their way. I noticed the wood peckers and blue birds moving away at the sight of the squirrels.

The wood pecker was forced to hide

There is another dimension of hiddenness. One chooses to withdraw, step back or move away from the usual profile of activities and pace for a specific purpose. The commonest way people practice this is by setting apart time for retreat.

A retreat is a form of 'abstinence' from the usual rhythm of  daily living, and  setting apart time for rest, reflection and renewal in a conducive ambience, which promotes inner quietness and solitude. It is during such times, we restore our energy level, refresh ourselves in prayer and meditation, and become present to ourselves. 

We can live in a world of our thoughts, aspirations or ambitions far away from our true self, which is longing for love, affection and belonging. By staying away from music, TV viewing, phone calls and other hectic activities we can bring respite to our body and mind. 

Jesus of Nazareth used to go away to the mountains, hidden from others for his time of solitude! Some of the significant events in his life such as choosing his disciples or healing a boy who had epileptic fits,  or calming the sea when the disciples were caught in a storm, etc. happened after he returned from his aloneness with the ALONE! 

To remain hidden for renewal is a calling!  

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

Conference for 'knowledge confluence'

I receive information about different health care and professional conferences by post and mail regularly. In October alone, I received brochures for thirteen of them, mostly related to my specialty.

I happened to meet the organiser of this conference, whose display board, you find in this post.

He described the conference as an occasion of 'knowledge confluence'

I have been skeptical of some professional conferences ever since the conferences became expensive and evolved to be more of social and business occasions. I still go when I  am invited to speak. In most of the conferences, excepting for the very special sessions, a good number would drift away from the hall to do 'many other things'. Also with conferences running parallel sessions, the focus has shifted to offer many thematic presentations to satisfy the needs of the interest groups, who would prefer to focus only on their areas of interest.  

In the earlier days, the conference was also a time for fellowship, net working, personal exchange of ideas with other colleagues for clarification and problem solving. This occurs much less now a  days. 

I have often wondered about the future of  the conferences!  I suspect the big conferences would  continue to go on. But those who want to develop net working with fellow researchers would organise separate forum to meet in small groups. 

I know of  small group of clinical biochemistry professionals, who used to meet during the summer in Kodiakanal for four days for exchange of views, much before the clinical Biochemisty association was formed. One of the regular attendees referring to those meetings said,'we learned form each other and grew in respect for each other and looked forward to the meeting'.

I feel regular video conferencing would be an equivalent of that, if we want to develop a collegium of like minded professionals.

M.C.Mathew(text and photograph)       

A gift that tells another story!

I have often wondered how a lotus flower, so rich in colour, beauty and visual appeal can blossom from plants growing in stagnant, unpotable and muddy water!

It seems that the lotus plant has an inherent property to bring forth its resident beauty in its flowers, no matter what may be the content and constitution of the water. The lotus plant always gifts a bright flower.

There is a strong  argument that, humans are products of their environment. The moral and social values at home and in society are often referred to as the determining  factors for the way people live, behave and perform.

The lotus flower tells another story.

I met a student the other day, who spoke to me about his abusive childhood, stifling social milieu and appalling economic conditions, which had denied him opportunities in life. He has now become a diligent student, friendly and socially well adjusted with keen interest in helping other students who go through adjustment crises. He cares and encourages others to care. I was keen to know how he surmounted the ill effects of childhood trauma. He said, that he heard the Beatitudes spoken by Jesus of Nazareth read every day at the school assembly. That helped him from being a victim of circumstances  to experiencing the power of forgiveness. That is the gift he now offers to others.

What we carry within us is the spirit of love. It is this we can offer to others.

We cannot change the circumstances, but we can become changed people. Nelson Mandela suffered imprisonment for three decades of his life; his suffering made him give up violent methods and he led the nation to reconciliation with the help of Bishop Desmond Titu.

We are 'created for good works'! That is our vocation. Let us not become 'weary in well doing'!


M.C.Mathew(text and photo)  

Secure and Free

I noticed this leaf suspended by a slender strand of the only remnant of a cob web, gently swaying in the breeze yesterday during the mid day walk. It was suspended from the branch of another tree. It gripped my attention and made me stop and ponder.

There was an interruption to the life of that leaf, because of which, before it was fully dry, it got severed from a branch. It was an event which could have landed the leaf on the ground or blown away by the wind. Once the leaf got separated from the branch, it had no control over its  future.

In the process of falling, it got held by  the only left over strand of a cob web. It looks as if the spider was sent to make a web at that place, where this prematurely separated leaf was about to fall! Even when it suffered a loss by no reason of its own, the leaf was not left to suffer the grief!

Being held by a web strand, it is dancing in the wind announcing a mystery!

We live in God's universe, whose 'government is upon His shoulder'. In the midst of all the  natural events that take place in our lives, there is a hope that holds us firm.

The writer of the Psalm 139, David, expressed this profoundly. "If I ascend to haven, Thou art there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Thy hand will lead me, and Thy right had will lay hold of me"(Vs. 8-10). David's meditation on this theme is captivating, as he communicates a new vision of God as expressed in verse 12: "Even the darkness is not dark to Thee, And the night is bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to Thee".

This alludes to a reality that whether we go through easy or difficult times in our lives, they are both alike, in terms of their purpose as intended by God. Those experiences are like the different coloured strands in a mosaic. They are woven together by God of love, who invites us to see ourselves as: 'I am fearfully and wonderfully made'.

I am convalescing after a major surgery six weeks back. The sight of the leaf in this photograph, suspended firmly from a live branch of another plant, brought a new understanding of my own situation. God grants one more opportunity in life to live fully and freely. Some may think, that the strand that holds the leaf is fragile and intangible, but with God, even a slender strand has inherent strength.

The good news is that, we are free to live, learn and serve, freed from the anxiety of daily living. Often an unexpected event leads us to enter into yet another plane of the mystery of this life and God.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Flowers with a message !

This was the last occasion when we had flowers in a vase in our PIMS campus house, which was little over a year ago. We usually had two flower vases with roses in our home, for several years now. 

This bunch of flowers brought to us by a friend, who came to bid farewell to us, became rather special.  Three days later we began packing to leave for Kerala.

The carnation flowers in white and red were equal in number. 

The white ones symbolised to us peace, fragrance, and quietude. We were relocating ourselves to Kerala, where Anna and I had not lived for about fifty years. This invited us to the state of being we can be in, even during this relocation. It was a promise that inspired us.

The red carnation flowers announced hope, strength and joy. This unsettled some of the anxiety and uncertainty associated with relocation. Flowers are fragile. How it can be a symbol of strength! I have watched with interest how flowers freely sway in the wind and do not get damaged by it! This is gentle strength, sufficient to live out its life! It is a strength susceptible to the environment, yet resilient enough to be itself!

As Anna and I look back over this one year, we experienced  seasons of peace. When it got dislocated, we felt restored. The strength we received was through enablement. We felt carried and loved, when we felt that our strength was failing. It is mystery even to us. It is because of this reason, we affirm our belief in God even more!

Our memories can refresh and rejuvenate us! As we journey into our memory lane every time, we receive peace and strength! That is one way of bringing freshness to our daily living!

Some students came to visit us yesterday. One of them said, 'The greatest gift we have, is each day, with its tutorials for our soul'.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Displaced but provided for !

Anna and I completed one year since we moved to live in Kerala, the southern most state in India, often called for touristic purpose, 'God's own country'.

It was in late september 2012, we joined the MOSC Medical college, Kolenchery for our professional involvement. 

During our daily drive of 15 kilometres to work, it was common for us to see white stork, the migratory birds of European origin, from late October, on wetland and marshy ground. We spotted them till April this year.

They remained in a flock in each of those sites. They descended to the wet land together and flew away together. The colour of the bill and the legs in this flock were dissimilar, one group having red bill and legs and the other black. They belonged to two different regions of origin, having come together during the migratory travel.  

We have been on a learning curve of the work culture, social practices, religious traditions, family dynamics, neighbourhood relationships, ethics of medical practice, etc.

It was good to have watched these migratory birds. They spend almost five months away form their place of origin. They migrate to a warm climate and for food and shelter. They are in one sense 'homeless' if we were to go by the notion that 'permanent' residence or a house is a sign of prudent financial planning. 

There is an experience of 'displacement' when we are 'homeless'. It is the humans alone among the living species, that too only in the last 100 years, who have equated 'permanency' with stability.

Can 'pilgrim' people, who remain open to live as they are 'guided' be also 'stable'! Our belongings and possessions can make us 'immobile' and 'fixed' to our locations. It is a call or mission, which changes with times, which ought to become the reason whey we are where we are!

We are yet to overcome the adjustment of 'displacement' at the end of one year. We continue to feel encouraged by the story of these storks, who move with ease and confidence. They adjust well to displacement and seasonal migration.  

God is Father to all of us, 'who would not let a hair fall without His knowledge'! It is the outworking of this, Anna and I are still learning!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Birthday remembrance

Let me recall what I recently heard from a family, about what their six years old   daughter planned and did on her birthday. 

She had wanted to visit the home of the auto driver who takes to her school; visit the grocery shop owner; the domestic helper's home; the neighbours; and some families she is used to visiting.

She was insistent in not having a party at home; instead visit and share her birthday cake with different people. Her parents did not understand what made her to choose to celebrate her birthday in this way!

After the family visited all those they planned, they sat down at their dinner table and the conversation lasted over three hours. There was an air of excitement about the welcome they received; a new understanding about the different situations of the families they visited and the opportunity they had to extent their friendship to some special people.

Later three other children in the neighbourhood made it a practice to visit some special people on their birthdays.

The family had this to say about this experience: 'It was good for us to remember some people whom we do not normally think of, although they serve us regularly'

A birthday is a time for partying; it is also a time for grateful remembrance of people who make our lives pleasant and easier! 

It was a six years old child who had this original idea! Our children can make us more humane!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

Dilemma during internship !

I have had years of association with interns, who are in their one year post M.B.B.S. training period, before they are certified to practice.  They have impressed me with their willingness to be actively involved in hospital routine and learn from participating in the treatment process and care of patients. Most interns pick up several practical skills necessary for doctors to learn, during this one year period. 

I have been encouraged by the attitude of most interns to take this practical training seriously to enhance their competency. 

One of the disturbing news items appearing in the print media three weeks back was that some who are doing their internship training in a metropolitan city abstained from  hospital duty, demanding that they be exempted from giving injections, collecting blood for examination from patients, etc. They wanted to work till mid day and be set free. This matter is not resolved as far as I know although the interns have returned to work at their terms.

There is a change in the value system among the interns in many medical schools in india. They have begun to look at it as a preparation time to get into post graduate training. So most of them would enrol for coaching programme during internship and ignore the training commitment they have to acquire skills. It is frightening to think that interns would be certified to practice at the end of one year without knowing enough, to give injections or perform veinpuncture to collect blood from patients for laboratory examination.

We need to review our training plan for interns. It is frightening to think that internship is despised by many. I wish we would make it a practice that all doctors after internship work for two years before they apply for post graduate training, for them to have acquire enough skills to be a general practitioners!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Flowers and Fruits for others!

Most trees in the CMC college campus are in transition with the monsoon setting in. There is a fresh look and brightness in their leaves.

Another sight is that of their blossoms. Most trees are beginning to look ornamental with their flowers. Though most trees and shrubs have only few blossoms as of now, the flowers are prominent to attract attention. In  a few weeks  form now, there will be more flowers than leaves in some of them.

There are also fruits in most of them from the last season.They will soon become dry and fall away.

To have the trees with flowers and fruits, is usual in these trees.

I have pondered over this. A tree is a shade in the garden; a home and source of food for the birds; it is ecologically valuable in a garden; it is source of wood and timber; its flowers are used for decorations and in flower vases ... a tree has much to offer.

It serves others. Even its fruits it gave away to humans and birds of the air. It sheds its leaves to make the soil rich in nitrogen; it protects the soil from erosion during the rain.

A tree is a symbol of fullness and self giving. It gives away what it has. It has something or other to give away in all seasons.

A tree takes time to grow and bear flowers and fruits. Its roots search for water source and manure for its growth. It pays attention to its growth. And in due season, it is ready to bring forth flowers and fruits.

This is the rhythm of life. Take time to grow into fullness and in stature 'before God and men'. This calls for paying attention to invest into our lives by carefully orchestrating the daily events to bring abundance of insights and wisdom. It is from this position of wellness, we can be self giving. Then we would feel the giving least depleting or stressful because, we stay replenished.

A seven year old girl, said to me, 'Uncle, I have grown five centimetres because I eat all the food mummy gives me', Her four years old brother hearing her say this, added, 'I can sing many nursery rhymes because I learn them at school'.

We become what we shall choose to become!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

     

Beings without identity!

I was still occupied with what I read in the UCAN India news edition quoted below, when I set out for my mid day walk. With the best of my efforts, my 35 mm camera, could capture only a silhouette of a Koel. The bright  light covered its identity. 

That is when it struck me that the 10 million people affected by the recent cyclone are in the media light, but each person is only a number, whose identity is submerged in the collective news of devastation. None of us would fully know the real story of each person and its full impact on their lives in the near and far future! They lost their houses, belongings, property, means of livelihood, prospects of survival and perhaps hope of living!

The following was the news item. 

"The Coastal areas in Orrissa could take a year to recover from the devastation of Cyclone Phailin, according to Catholic Relief Services, with some 10 million people affected, many of them homeless.

The toll could have been much worse were it not for mass evacuations, prompting the UN to call India’s preparations for the giant storm a “landmark success story in disaster management”.

In Ganjam, home to more than 3.5 million people, nearly a quarter of a million houses were destroyed and crops have been wiped out with total damage estimated at 30 billion rupees (US$487 million) in the town alone.

In Balasore, the district worst affected by flooding, an estimated 900,000 people have been displaced as vast areas remain under water.

“We need to think about Balasore as water is standing there and creating problems as compared to other places where the cyclone has come and gone and people have started bringing their lives [back] to normal,” said Shumlansky.

People are going back to their damaged or destroyed houses without any belongings, he said, and many have seen their means of earning a living destroyed.

In the small town of Anjirapally, 10km down the coast from Ganjam, some 12,000 fishermen have urged the government to replace or repair their damage, destroyed and lost boats so they can feed their families again."

It is a national tragedy of pain and distress!

I wish, their story and starvation would not be lost in the heat of the political divide and polarised election campaigns we watch in India now, a type of which I have not witnessed since I began to be aware of political happenings in India, for about fifty years!

There are millions living without an identity or an address! They long for us to hear their stories! Their future can be shaped by our goodwill and collective response of generous support!

M.C.Mathew(photo and text)

Each is different but special!

The Magpie Robin is a bird that would attract anyone's attention. It is a small bird; it has an elegant white and black complexion; it feeds from the ground and therefore can be seen on foot paths; it has a melodious bird song which attracts the female birds during the mating season; it normally establishes its air territory and stays within it and does not allow other Robins to stay in that territory; it is not intimidated by other birds...

Each bird is different from the others. And each of them expresses itself in unique ways. That is what makes the world of birds interesting, informative and captivating.

This has an application for us. We live in a socially, economically, culturally and educationally divided world. Some have more opportunities to upscale their lives and others have a long wait. This creates tensions between different classes of people. We are a divided community of people alienated from each other due to our prejudices and presuppositions.

A Montessori teacher, who came to visit us today mentioned how children form all walks of life share the class room with equanimity, ease and confidence. Their social classes do not separate them. They are bound by bonds of shared learning and play experiences. They leave the school holding each other's hands.

The adults have something to learn from this. We are humans and therefore we belong to each other. Live and let live is to be our motto. This calls more loving disposition and caring attitude! Those who are different from us are also our brothers and sisters! Each of us has a place which we alone can occupy. We are indebted to each other for what we receive from each other. To live being mindful of our neighbours and to 'love them as ourselves' is a calling and virtue!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)  

   

Even the bird finds a home!

As I heard the wood pecking sound during my mid day walk, I searched for a wood pecker. 

Instead what I noticed was a colourful bird looking like a Bluethroated Barbet in dumpy green, at the mouth of a hole with most of its neck inside the hole. I waited to have a full view of its forehead and bill. The crown of crimson with transverse black band around the neck was its identifying mark. 

In the bird book, this bird is not mentioned to be native of this region.   So I would need help to have a second opinion for its species identification. 

What occupied my attention was about its nesting habit. It seems to peck a hole in the wood for making a nest. I have seen this bird periodically pecking away for five days since then, although it gets chased away occasionally by some other birds.

I was reminded of the parables Jesus of Nazareth told about the birds of the air. 'Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither gather into barns and yet their heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?'

Among the hundreds of birds in the CMC college campus, competing for their nesting places this bird found its nesting place of its choice. It is a small bird; it is still single; it has its own practice of nesting only in holes pecked by them.

None of these was as an obstacle for this bird. It stays protected like all other birds of the air. It has its challenges and tense moments. Through it all, it has found better ways to survive and continue its life-cycle.

I feel challenged by the authenticity of the parable of Jesus ; there is a certainty about some things in life. One of them is that God's watchful eyes are always upon us! 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Being alone in Solitude!

Sometimes there are surprises waiting for you, during a morning walk !

This owl, hiding in the narrow space between large trunks of two trees, was an accidental discovery. Anna, Aswathy and Anandit noticed the owl. For a while we had a full view of this spotted owl.

Our staring look and photo shoot seemed to have disturbed the owl, from what we made out from its body language, before it flew away.

The place it chose to hide was most striking. It was well protected from human sight from all the three sides. It needed a safe place for it to rest unnoticed by anyone.

I thought that this owl had something to tell us about 'solitude'. Being alone is an experience most of us are used to. We occupy ourselves during such times by listening to music, reading a book, or watching TV etc.

There is another dimension to being 'alone', which is to enter into 'silence' or 'inner quietness'. We can protect our mind from wandering thoughts or preoccupation, as a preparation to become 'centred' on a focus we may choose. Many people choose to focus on the rhythm of breathing to allow the mind to enter into 'rest'. If we were to read a Bible verse then, and stay with that verse for ten minutes or so, it can bring a meditative experience of the Scripture. The Bible verse becomes a window to experience the reality of God in a personal way. We can feel moved by the insight, a time of silence can bring  !

Being alone in silence is often a personal transforming experience!


M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Squirrels play, eat and sleep!

Where ever there are trees and human habitation, we are sure to find squirrels. I suspect that there are different species of  of squirrels in the  CMC Campus at Bagayam.

They are scavengers looking for nuts, grain, droppings of food, etc. I have seen them suck honey from flowers by chasing away honey bees and butterflies.

All the squirrels I watched were engaged in some activity or the other.

There was one exception. I noticed one squirrel comfortably resting stretched on a horizontal branch. It was asleep.The mid morning is a good time to watch the resting habits of birds and squirrels.

So I started enquiring from couple of people about the sleeping habit of squirrels. Nobody was able to give me a definite suggestion. I decided to wait at this spot till the squirrel moved away.

After about ten minutes, a warbler disturbed it and the squirrel moved away.

The environment we live in, is a rich resource to observe unusual events. It was the first time I watched a squirrel sleeping!

Let me suggest that if we discover something on our own, it adds to our pleasure. There are many events in nature, which are not yet described or authenticated !

We spend a lot of our time watching films, fashion shows, sports, etc. They can entertain us. However, we need more than that to grow in our understanding.

When we discover something, it enhances our instinct to explore even more. If we can pay attention to the  instinct of curiosity, it helps us to enhance our skills of observation and exploration! It is from the nature we  can gather a lot first hand information!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo))

A new example in spirituality!

Pope Francis habitually telephones those who write to him to offer wise words, support and guidance.

But lately Pope Francis has been offering followers more than just a sympathetic ear after he sent 200 euros [US$ 271] to an elderly woman who told him she had been mugged on a bus.

He even sent gifts of money to refugees who survived a recent ship wreck, while on their way  to find asylum in Europe.

Pope Francis is asking the priests to live simple life, abandon their expensive cars and be in in touch with the poor in the congregations. He even exhorted the women religious in the church to be 'less spiritual' (ascetic) and live 'joyful lives' serving Christ'! 

An Italian newspaper editor who raised questions about faith and God in his editorial of the newspaper, was in for a surprise, to get a letter with an apologetic appeal about the reality of God and faith, which the editor published in his news paper.

There is always something in the news about Pope Francis, because he appears to be nonconventional, open to people and situations and reflects a personal authentic spirituality.

It is this prompted me to get hold of this book and learn more about the formative process of this religious leader, who stands out for his sincerity of purpose and sense of calling to be a pilgrim! 

Let me quote from pages 20 and 21 on his attitude to work:

'More and more people work on Sundays as a result of competitiveness imposed by a consumer society. In these cases, we can see the other extreme: work dehumanises people. When work does not lead to healthy leisure, to restorative rest, then it enslaves you, because then you are not working for dignity, but to compete.This vitiates the intention of work....Healthy leisure means both father and mother play with tier children. Healthy leisure has to have this recreational element and there is something profoundly wise in this.' 

This book tells the story of a pilgrimage and living the beatitude way. No wonder, he chose to borrow the name of St. Francis for his papacy.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

One world and two realities!

I was stopped by the sound of 'hoop-po' during my mid day walk yesterday. I noticed two Hoopoe birds on the ground walking together, not close enough to indicate that they are still cautiously courting each other. One of them was singing to the other, which is what they do during the mating season. The sight of Hoopoe was rather special as they often fly away with least noise or disturbance near them.

As I stayed watching them, till one moved away, I noticed three things which held my attention.

They kept digging on the ground for insects and both made sounds to each other when they found something. They were found closest when they wanted to share food. A noticeable thing about the way they attract each other for courtship!

The birds chose lose soil to dig. They knew how to find food from the ground. It is almost an instinct and habit. They develop their habits according to the need.

There were warblers and squirrels coming to disturb them and they refuse to be intimidated. They moved about freely and purposefully, to dig in search for food.

For most avians, survival is a challenge and finding food is a demanding chore. They pursue this with ease and confidence.

As I was returning, I watched the nursery children waiting to be picked up by their parents. They pushed each other to get a place to sit on a narrow granite wall. For the next several minutes, till their parents came, none of them settled to sit quietly because they were pushing each other to grab a place to sit. Not one was willing to 'let go'.

The two contrasting out look! The Hoopoe birds seemed to care for each other or at least accommodate  each other. But children, even at three years, were fighting with each other for space!  

We, humans, seem to be driven by instincts of success, competition, anger and self-occupation! This is an unfortunate trend in a globalised world! Children pick up this existential style by watching adults!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)  

     

Creepers and Flowers

The Christian Medical College campus at Bagayam is full of vegetation. Each residential house is surrounded by thick overgrowth  of shrubs, creepers, self growing saplings of all sorts which almost camouflage the houses. 

After a few in between showers during the last one month, I notice some of the creepers having blossoms. The flowers are bright, colourful and are often seen in bunches.

There is nothing attractive or special about these creepers. In many campuses these creepers will not be allowed to spread wildly over large surface areas. In a month's time these flowers would decorate the woodland and the ground. The flowers would last through most of the monsoon season. It would give a new look to the landscape. 

We make face value judgements about people. We tend to value people on the basis of their appearance, skin colour, ethnicity, family status, social status.....sometimes we ignore the potential of those who look less impressive and capable. 

What is external can be deceptive. Mother Teresa looked most ordinary, physically weak, often dressed in darned attire, and feeble in voice. But she was bountifully overflowing with kindness and mercy. She has over 450 centres in 130 countries to care for the poor and the needy.

Jesus of Nazareth was described by Prophet of Isaiah: 'He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him'(Isa.53:2) Jesus went about dong good and touched the lives of many 

There is truth and profoundness beyond the external. We need to upbuild the meek and weak in the hope that they would bear fruit in due season.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

Sleeping parakeets!

Let me share an excitement of bird watching! To watch them in sleep!

The mid day is a good time to walk around  the garden to look for birds who are resting. After the flutter of activities in the morning to find feed and water, some birds would rest in tall trees.

The two parrots were asleep- one resting flat on a branch and the other curled up into a ball. I watched them in these still postures for a while.  Most birds have light sleep during the day. The mid day is a good time to observe the day time sleep habits of the birds. This is the third day I have noticed some parakeets resting on the same tamarind tree.

A gardener who seems to know a good deal about the birds mentioned to me that most birds occupy a tree during the day and night before they choose a place to make their nest during the mating season. Even the birds follow a pattern.

While talking to some students, I got a sense of their struggles to have an order and pattern to their daily living. For most of them, they cannot predict when their day would end and the night would begin! They do not plan, but others and circumstances decide for them their daily rhythm.

I am not sure, if it is a desirable thing for us to have an unplanned schedule for any day, even for our holidays. We as humans are inclined to be impulsive and decide instantly only to blame ourselves in hindsight, for the hurried decision we would have made.

There is a rhythm to life and living. Nature and its inhabitants follow it. Humans disregard that rhythm with little consciousness of its consequences. There is a proportion expected to be maintained  between the forested area and the space for human habitation and industry. There is at least 25 percent depletion of forested area and thirty percent increase in the human occupied land space. One reason for climatic changes of drought, cyclone, depletion of ground water, etc is attributable to the break down in the balance between forested and human occupied areas.

We need to reflect on this!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Walking to look for birds

We walk for various reasons. If you happened to be in a wooded area or  in a place with scattered trees and bushes, you could take a walk to look for birds.

One can locate them by listening to bird songs or look out for their movements between trees. Some birds like warblers and parakeets are often in groups. Some during the mating season will be in pairs. If you spot one bird, it is worthwhile to look for the pair in the vicinity. 

It is good to have a binocular to view the birds if they are in a distance. Most of us will not be able to identify the birds by their species as we are not habitual bird watchers. Once we get used to seeing the same birds, we would be able to look at the internet and identify them. That would help us to find their habitats, breeding pattern, etc. We can choose the extent to which we want to go in our knowledge acquisition of birds. If we set up a bird bath in the courtyard or in the garden, some birds and squirrel would visit regularly.

While walking to look for birds, some birds would fly away when a human presence is known to them. It  is good to walk slowly and quietly once we have observed the movements of the birds in a particular place. The native birds may have even nests in the locality. The migratory birds normally confine themselves to one area.

Most of us would like to take photographs of the birds. One needs a tele lens camera to capture them. This photograph was taken by a compact 35mm camera with its zoom, which has given a blurred picture. Still, it can add to your collection to share your story of the walk with family and friends. 

I have also tried to record the bird songs on a recorder to get used to identifying their species. This is a good exercise as we often hear more birds than we see them.

One of the special experiences in a walk is to have an occasion to explore the nature. One can find birds almost everywhere. They have an exquisite array of colours and watching them is a feast to the eyes.

I have often returned from a bird watching walk with a song of thanksgiving in my heart, for the Giver of all good gifts to humankind.

One suggestion- avoid mixing an exercise walk with bird watching. It is not good for the physiology of the body to pause several times during an exercise walk to watch birds. Take a walk just to watch birds and be surprised!  

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)        

Power of the visual Media

While we lived at PIMS, Pondicherry, we often had students and faculty at home for different celebrations. This was a birthday party.


Towards the latter part of the evening, Anna put on the TV to watch the final overs of a test match. If I remember correctly, India was about to win.Till the TV was put off, they stayed glued to the TV.

What surprised me was the heightened attention  and interest with which everyone was glued to the TV for the next several minutes.

It was on the same day, I had a long conversation with couple of families about the TV viewing habits of children. What both families mentioned was the difficulty they have in weaning their five years old children from the TV viewing. As soon as they get up they are searching for the remote control. They insist on having  the TV on while eating, doing home work or when visitors are at home. Parents felt guilty for consenting to children's insistence. One family was planning to disconnect the TV.

The TV viewing is habit forming for children. The visual media has a variety of programs to offer in the TV and children would get habituated to the program and advertisements. The TV programs do not generally subscribe to moral values; there is an extravaganza of entertainment, at the cost of values that would upbuild children.

The visual media succeed in getting our attention. How can we help children form getting addicted to it!

Create more interacting opportunities through outdoor games, indoor games, nature walk etc. Get children in to the habit of listening to the books read to them. Have rituals which would help children to  be occupied meaningfully. One family encouraged children to draw, sketch, make scrap book, sing and dance, etc. so that there were other entertainments that they enjoyed.

An addictive habit of watching TV can make children inattentive to other activities, impulsive in behaviour or disruptive. The TV watching consumes lot of attention that when anything is less stimulating, it is difficult for children to hold their attention. The same is true of video games and internet surfing.

Parents have a responsibility to protect children form the enticements of the visual media!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Corridors in life

A corridor is a passage with both ends widely open.  The passage itself is  narrow.

I am passing through such a corridor in my life, after my illness and surgery. What do we do when we feel confined to a passage! Let me suggest three experiences which are making sense in my life.

A corridor is a limited and empty space unoccupied often. It is symbol of solitude. We live hurriedly in the theatre of activities and the rhythm of life is decided by the daily routine and events. Not many of us can stop or take a detour as we are controlled by job requirements, commitments, responsibilities, etc. When we feel located in a corridor, it is good to begin on an inner journey of discovery and learning. I discovered that I used to feel tired for over six months but I did not pause or reflect, till I was forced to do so. This present solitude helps me to get in touch with my patterns, practices and preferred ways. When we learn about our lives we can revise the way we want to live.

A corridor is a symbol of a journey ahead. It sets the direction, but not the pace. A passage is not a permanent place for anyone to stay for long. Since I started on my regulated and incremental exercise walk, I know that I am on my way to the earlier pace of activities. A four year old child told me yesterday, 'uncle will you be able to walk slowly like this always so that I can walk and talk with you'! That is a choice I need to make. Will I let activities overtake me or make time to focus on life-giving experiences of building relationships, listening to others, creating family times, pursuing hobbies and leisure time activities, etc. The corridor time is a preparation time for change!

A corridor is a space outside an office, house, class room, etc. It is space that acts as a buffer between rooms where activities are intense. It is therefore a space to which we can escape, when the activities make us feel tired, preoccupied or stressed. A corridor space is a symbol of an in-between space of pause and reflection, all of us would need, amidst our schedule of activities. The week ends used to be a 'corridor space for our soul', but it has also got fully occupied with the unfinished work of the week. We need to habitually walk away from our activity driven pace to the corridor space for respite and recovery.

Anna and I regularly created a 'corridor space' on Tuesday afternoons during our years at CMC Vellore. We lost the habit when we left Vellore. Now we are rediscovering it!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)