Welcome 2015 !

Anna and I want to wish you a fruitful new year !

The custard apple tree in our garden was damaged in the storm last year. However, it sprang back to life with one branch growing out of the main stem. To our surprise, even that branch bore some fruits during this season. We were able to have them for ourselves and share with those who help us in the farm. The two fruits that are remaining would be hopefully ripen by the time Amy, Arpit and their arrive shortly!  

How refreshing it is to know that life is a gift given to us to bear fruits!

A family who came to visit me for consultation told us as they were leaving, 'we go back touched by the hospitality we received here'. They said this in response to one of my colleagues who went out of her way to befriend them when they had difficulty to find their way through the hospital to go to different counters for registration, payment, investigations, etc. 

We have an occasion to care and share kindness each time we meet with others. We hope all of us can make that as our way of living!

The boy who gave away his five loaves and two pieces of fish cared for those who were hungry and showed kindness when a messenger from Jesus of Nazareth requested for his dinner packet! He did his little and Jesus multiplied it!

Let us make doing little acts of kindness a habit!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Farewell 2014!

This wayside anger which Anna and I noticed on our recent road trip held our attention. This was erected in the lawn of a house on the road side. It simulated the original gospel narration of the nativity scene. I wish the Christmas father was not included just as the Christmas tree was left out!

This manger scene brought back memories of 2014. Our lives begin the journey with a physical birth and a spiritual birth. The physical birth is often in a hospital and the spiritual birth is a personal experience of God consciousness through welcoming Jesus and His teaching in one's life. 

I like the kneeling and bowing position of all the visitors to the manger in this manger scene. The Church of Nativity at Bethlehem has a narrow door at its entrance that one can enter the church only by bowing with bent knees. 

Our journey into the expanse of the spiritual odyssey begins with with humility of heart and an attitude of submission to godly ways in our lives. 

For Anna and myself, the year 2014 was full of peeks and valley experiences all of which gave us a reason to live, belong and be occupied. We are touched by the kindness we received from people. A friend telephoned yesterday that he remembered us during this season because I was recovering from my heart surgery last year around this time. Life is enriched by such memories and relationships.

We begin our journey at the manger and return to it all the time because, it 'in God we live, move and have our being' .

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

An year with its highs!

There are many things that have pleasantly occupied us during the last year. Anna and I have been most encouraged by friendships with some students and the opportunities it created to have times of conversation and fellowship. It was a pleasure to have been present for the Christmas celebrations of their hostels.

As I recall the dynamics of relationships with students during the last year, I find three interesting aspect of student life. 

Most students are looking for guidance to plan their time and and choose their involvements. The 23 students who pursued short term student research projects were waiting to be asked to do something that was challenging and creative. That became our point of contact with them and gave us several occasions to have times of personal chats. That was a neutral starting point. 

I decided to convert the formal lectures to an exploratory learning exercise for them. There were group discussions, presentations, discussions around clinical scenarios, recollections of personal stories, etc. I planned a participatory approach to retain their attention in the post lunch hour lecture. But it turned out to be a genuine experience of learning by enquiry and reflection. Student are open to innovative experiences of learning. 

Most students think and act as a group. They so like the peer interactions that they like to explore new ideas if they can be doing it together. This naturally created leadership skills in some of them. It was easier to have contacts and interaction with some of them who had this formative influence on the rest of the group. To influence students and foster their formation, it is necessary to identify the natural leaders who influence the peers. 

For Anna and myself, we needed their friendships to feel at home where we were strangers when we arrived two years back!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Family time at Christmas!

Anna and Sophie, our aunt both have their birthdays in December. From the time of advent in church calendar in December, the season of Christmas brings many memories to all of us. 

One memory would be all about family times on Christmas day.

Somehow the manger scene which is a popular meditation theme during this season brings in to focus the family ties which gets renewed at  every Christmas time. 

The family ties are too changing with times. During my childhood days, it was common to exchange frequent visits between families during the year. But now most families try if they can come together during Christmas or Easter. 

 These two Christ entered historical events continue to be the celebration times in the families!

In fact families derive the inspiration for the net work of relationships from Christmas and Easter because both epitomise the loving nature of God revealed through Jesus. The language of every family communication is love because God is still reminding us of it by drawing all of us into HIs loving embrace!

For Anna and myself this Christmas is yet another time we remember many family events with gratitude. Amy and Arpit were blessed with a baby boy in November. That creates within us an ambience of love and gratitude!

We are being formed through our relationships in our families!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

'His star in the east' !

It was a star which the wise men (Mat.2.2), who specialised in astrology, medicine and natural science that led them to come to Herod, the King. They enquired about Jesus whose birth was announced through the appearance of the star. 

The star awakened the curiosity of Herod; the wise men arrived at Bethlehem to worship Jesus following the star. The star became a source of agitation for Herod and he set out to destroy all boys below 2 years in Bethlehem. 

The star is a sign of hope for many and a reason for anger for some. This continues to be the same even today. 

In Micah 5:2, the prophesy, 'For out of Bethlehem shall come forth a ruler, who will shepherd my people of Israel' is a good news that has refreshed many who waited for God's visitation and disturbed others who got provoked by the life and message of a  Shepherd who showed the way of love by self-giving.

What makes many to be critical of the message of Jesus is that it calls for humility of heart and integrity of conduct!

The wise men 'fell down and worshipped Jesus and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh'. 

The Christmas season is a time to open our treasures and consider what is symbolised in what we keep dear to ourselves. They become the best gifts for Jesus. 

For Nihal, a seven years old boy, his pencil with pictures of the maps of different countries was what he considered as a treasure. After hearing the story of wise men read at the family prayer time on  the  Christmas eve, Nihal presented his pencil to Ravi, the son of their domestic helper. Nihal mentioned that, He felt God's love and wanted to share the joy of the coming of Jesus!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

Party games can restore you !

I look forward to  party games when there are social gatherings because, participating in them gives a relaxing experiences that lasts for a while.

It is good to have times set part for party games even in families. Some how we accumulate stress due to demands at work, pressure of assignments, misunderstanding in relationships, disappointments, etc. 

While playing a game, the fun it generates in the group has a social de-stressing  effect.

I remember how at the end of the evening of these fun games, the whole group of twenty five students were full of smiles. They did not get inhibited by an examination that they had to be ready for on the next day!

The social milieu that we live in can be made friendly, relational and reflective though such times. Most of us fold up socially and emotionally when the social environment is demanding, unfriendly or indifferent. 

The educational environment in a college can be such a place where every person is catching up with some assignment or other. Some even would  feel like being on a conveyer belt, unable to find a personal pace for well being.

We need socially refreshing times to feel well and refreshed! Anna and I feel grateful that some students include us in their social gatherings. It makes a world of difference to us in our campus life!

M.C.Mathew( photo by Anna)

Formative friendships!

I have many memories of this happy occasion when Tarun and Leah brought their daughter Ishita for baptism to their home church. Both Tarun and Leah were socially at their best reaching out to relatives and friends announcing the joy unspeakable about the experience of becoming parents and the delight of being able to publicly commit themselves to bring up the baby in the knowledge and fear of God.

Tarun and Leah are friendly, welcoming and caring. They both are specialist consultants whose competency and skills are highly regarded and trusted. 

What brought into focus at this occasion were their joyful spirit which is charming, inspiring and affirming. 

I have memories of their undergraduate days as well. They built relationships to last. They formed opinions on contemporary issues by their presence and interactions. They left tangible impressions on others through their caring conduct  in the women's and men's hostels. 

Tarun was the one who brought me prior to my bypass surgery a print out about all that a heart patient  ought to remember during the post surgery rehabilitation. It is now one year since the surgery and I am glad that I have had that personal education about what to expect from Tarun.

I heard from Tarun recently that he is planning to interview professors who retired from the Christian Medical College to gather their stories for the the students to mull over. 

Every  institution has many formative stories. There is a need for us to be story tellers for using them to develop formative friendships with others.!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

After dinner conversation !

After a recent dinner get-together with some students, the conversations turned to another direction with one of the students asking Anna and myself questions about ourselves- 'Why did you choose Paediatrics as your specialty'!  

I had chosen and got myself trained in public health after my graduation. For two years before I graduated, I was fascinated by a teacher who brought new understanding about community health, She motivated us about the need to enlarge the base of primary health coverage in India. It was 1970 and the tertiary care culture had not overtaken even the metropolitan cities. Those who can afford went abroad at that time for specialised treatment. Others had to be content with what some well run medical college hospitals could offer. 

I began my working life with a stint at the Medical college at Sevagram, working under Dr. Sushila Nayyar, the head of the community medicine department. Following an outbreak of Measles and several children dying, she mentioned to me that community physicians need specialisation in Paediatrics or Maternal and child Health. This made sense and I moved on for training in Paediatrics and later in Maternal and Child Health at the end of which Anna and I moved to the Christian Medical College, Vellore, where I worked mostly in Neonatology service.

It was during that time I became aware of the outcome of the perinatal complications of infants leading to cerebral palsy, convulsions, microcephaly, etc. Once a mother asked me, 'why did you treat my son's jaundice at birth, if you knew that he would have microcephaly and spasticity later'! It was that question along with some experiences which initiated me on my journey into developmental paediatrics. During the last thirty four years, I have been on a journey to make a difference in the lives of children who were developmentally disadvantaged. A fulfilling and learning journey of great significance!

The after dinner conversation turned out to be a refreshing recollection time for me. Every time I was unsettled to move on, life became an adventure. I am glad for new frontiers opened in my life, by others asking me disturbing questions.

Choose movement in life and not settlement- that is how we can turn  life into an opportunity!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

A manger as their dwelling place!

This house in one of the villages of Yelagiri close to the YMCA campus drew my attention while going on my morning walk.

It was 7 am in the morning and the only sign of someone inside the ouse was the pair of chapels near the grinding stone. One half of the house is a store house for green leaves used as fodder for the cattle and the other half which is smaller is family's space for their use. 

While waiting to see any movement of children or adults in the house, I noticed a woman coming back with a pot of water in her head and another one in her hand. The cock and few hens were moving around the house. 

The bamboo mat was the shutter for the door and the straw roof was discontinuous on the back which was patched up with a plastic sheet. 

It needs no imagination to guess the economic and social status of the family who lives in this house. 

As one of the houses close by had a star hung outside, my thoughts lingered around the manger where  Jesus was born. 

We create anger scenes and stage nativity plays at this time of Christmas in th hope that it would bring us to meditate on the humble birth of Jesus.

However, I wish, we would take our children, friends and colleagues to participate in the story of people who in live in manger like settings deprived of comforts without which we cannot live. 

It is often the Christmas father who is the most visible sight in a manger scene erected in homes and public places telling that we long for gifts during Christmas season! 

Father Davies, well respected for his self giving act of donating a kidney to save a stranger,  giving his Christmas message at the MOSC medical college last week said, that 'the message of Christmas is that Jesus became small from being God and became a being among humans. We need to journey from being a human being to a being among humans. That is when the story of incarnation of Christmas is made real' !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

A smile that makes your day!

Anna and I were greeted by Elias and his fourteen months old daughter Joanna, at the car park a few days back. Seeing us Joanna smiled profusely which disarmed us of our hurry to go to the  the biometric reader to punch our arrival on time.

On several occasions this smile returned to me during the day. It brought refreshment as I recollected the self-giving, captivating and affectionate smile which was freely gifted to us  in the morning. 

I have often thought of the smile of a child as a treasurable gift because it is genuinely a message of joy and gladness. 

A child is carefree while growing up in  a secure and caring environment . Such children would spontaneously convey the inner fullness of happiness. The smile is an overflow of the inner wellness and contentment!

Men and women are desperate for happiness for which they strive and struggle! They drive themselves to find happiness only to discover often that they have exhausted themselves by trying.   

The sense of wellness or contentment or gladness is a gift that others bring to us. At the first Christmas at Bethlehem, the shepherds who 'stayed out' watching over their flock at night were greeted by an angel that Christ the saviour was born for them! They were overjoyed by this after an initial sense of fear. They set out to see this baby because they wanted to celebrate this joy. 

God gives us joy so that we can gift it away to others. The more we share joy with others the more we become joyful. It is only as much as we turn the focus to make others joyful, we can experience  the fullness of joy!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

From research to Fellowship!

Anna has been mentoring a group of 23 students, most of them from the batch of 2011at the MOSC Medical College, in helping them develop their skills in research. All of them completed a short student research project. Some of them submitted their projects to ICMR and few others presented their study in conferences or published in journals. The last one year or so this group has become a cohesive, interactive and mutually supportive friends who share a lot more than research interest between themselves.  

They got together for an evening of fellowship last week. Anna and I felt honoured to have been together with them for an evening of games, sharing and story telling. We felt drawn by their enthusiasm, warmth and regards. They touched us with their affection and kindness. The several conversation we have with them and their friends when we meet informally make us feel valued and younger!

We are encouraged by more more faculty coming forward to be involved with students. Now there is an art club, social service club, nature lover's club, entertainment club, etc. The faculty associated with these clubs would make a significant t contribution to their formative process. 

It is now about two decades Anna and I have been associated with medical students during our tenure in medical schools. One impression we carry with us form our experience is this: reach out to students and they would  surprise us by their responsiveness to discover their hidden resources for their personal development. 

Every teacher in a medical college is also an enabler to make students grow into their full potential!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

A dog's cat nap!

An ultrashort sleep is what we mean by a cat nap.  It is universally common in humans and animals. During this short period there is a recuperation in an unusual way leading to refreshed alertness and sense of well being in the body!

I have been used to practicing five occasions of three minutes of becoming bodily quiet and mentally still, during which time, sometimes I fall asleep for a  minute or so, following which I wake up as if I am getting up in the morning after a good sleep. 

We are people of intense physical and mental pursuit of activities during which time, we spend our energy physically and emotionally. We feel when we talk, listen, discuss, or disagree. These feelings arouse a cascade of neuro-metabolic changes which we can switch off during a cat nap. We have an awakened consciousness following the times of quietness. 

I now find that a short period of quietness before and after a difficult conversation can restore the emotional state. We feel more ready to face a difficult situation if we can overcome the emotional upheaval that precedes the anticipated confronting or demanding situation. 

Life is a series of one minute events. To be able to take charge of our minutes is a challenge! However that is the way we can live with a sense of presence. 

Three of us after walking silently in a park for a while afterwards we sat down to share our experiences. One of them had seen, heard and felt lot more than both of us. How did that happen! He told us that he refused to be dragged away by his thoughts during that walk but  tuned his senses to the walking experience! That is a state of enlightened living! 

This form of practising sense of presence increases God consciousness and mindfulness towards others! 

M.C.Mathew (Text and photo)

   

Gifts of Nature!

I was with a group of faculty from CMC Vellore recently on a two day get together with them at Yelagiri. It was a delightful time to observe how different people receive and respond to nature's gifts!

During the two days, most  of them naturally got formed in to different groups of nature explorers. There were  trekkers, bird watchers, tree lovers, rock climbers, water conservationalists, etc. 

At breakfast time this group, whose photograph is above, was engaged in watching birds and photographing them. Listening to them, I was fascinated by the information each of them contributed about Parrots. They had more information than what a bird would book would condense in a paragraph. 

Following this conversation, I sat with three of them at breakfast table during which time the conversation continued on how their interest in bird watching grew from their childhood. 

One of them mentioned that birds live from nature and nature is God's gift to them. They fend for themselves each day from nature's bounty. The nature has enough for millions of birds. Of course birds also have territorial control and can be protective from other birds invading their territory. However, birds live from the produce of the earth, which provides enough for all birds. 

A surgeon mentioned that this consciousness helped him to share the surgical opportunities among his colleagues equally. This is unlike in many surgical departments, where some senior surgeons usurp the opportunities of others by their insistence to do all the major surgeries themselves. So his surgical team works cordially complementing each other. They share the joy of working together. There is enough  for every surgeon teach day to do, to stay abreast with his operating skills.  

It is when we are in touch with what is going on around us, something from what we observe can speak to us and initiate a change process.  

Stay in touch the outside to grow in awareness of our inner self!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)  

The other side of health care !

This board at the entrance of the CMC Hospital Ludhiana made me reflect about some realities in health care. 

There are many who need subsidised or free health care inspite of the efforts to provide it at the government hospitals and through insurance schemes. They are on the increase inspite of the trickle down effect of globalisation and neo-lieral economic policies. 

Many would like to get the subsidised or free care from patient friendly hospitals where health care is practiced compassionately and based on sound ethical practices under the care of competent and experienced professionals. 

The health care is a costly investment which many in this disadvantaged group would find it difficult  to make inspite of the desperation to do so. The debt trap and life long economic burden this creates is phenomenal that families are hesitant to seek health care. I have a neighbour who has a nodule in the Thyroid for five years now and still not ready to go to the hospital for fear of all that it would involve to get admitted in a hospital surgery. His fear is that it would cause unforeseen difficulties and financial stress.

I was called to see a one month old infant in the neighbourhood who has an early sign of infantile eczema. The family did not seek medical help for three weeks because the heavy cost of visiting a specialist. A 8 year old child with his family came to visit us at night to get some advice about his fever lasting for a week now. They too waited to avoid a costly treatment.  

I was glad to see the above bard, because CMC Ludhiana is showing the way to be inclusive in our approach to health care for the disadvantaged. Well done and it would hopefully show the way for other hospitals!

M.C.Mathew(photo and text)

A disturbing advertisement!

I have been of late observing a new trend in advertisements in the print and TV. One common instinct is to make them as sensational as possible to get the attention of the readers and viewers. All the advertisements are required to follow some ethical guidelines- one of them being that the advt. should not be suggestive for a risky behaviour. 

This advt. in a leading English news paper by a pharmaceutical company violates that very guideline. Although the national body who is watch body to enforce ethical practices in advertisement exists, it  does not have a regulatory or penalising function, but only a recommendatory role!

Human behaviour is changing! The above picture is a computer trick of photography. But when a three years old child looks at this picture, he or she is fascinated by the adventure instinct. It is not uncommon for me to hear parents tell me that their three year child attempted something which he watched in the TV! One such incident was a cycle race he saw in an advert. He saw  a cycle  used by a film star for racing! He too raced his cycle in the street and lost control. His face was bruised. 

I wonder whether the designers of the adverts. would pause and consider the impact of what they produce on children and adolescents! I agonise over how women's body has become the commonest advertisement feature to draw people's attention! The moral fabric of a nation can be determined by the way we advertise the consumer products!  

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Bamboo is nature's gift!

One of the uses of Bamboo is for building houses, which had gone into disrepute, since bricks replaced its use about fifty years back. However, I notice bamboo returning to its rightful place for use in the buildings. The house, cow shed and the outhouse in my parent's home about sixty years back was made of bamboo both for its walls and roof.

The treated and reinforced bamboo has long life even in adverse climatic conditions. It is now used to make different furniture, interior of houses for false ceiling, walls and partitions. It may not last like the plywood but it is cheaper and easy to fabricate. The handicraft items which are made of bamboo are extremely popular. As the bamboo stem is hollow inside, it has been traditionally used to store solids and semisolids. I saw its use in a home recently. 

The bamboo plants grow well in any terrain and protects the soil from erosion. The bamboo stem adds to colour to the garden as some varieties are ornamental and provides an aesthetic look. The three sites we planted bamboo in our cottage premises two years back, a yellow and slender variety, are frequented by birds and I hope they would make them their nesting sites.  

Anna and I have been experimenting to make our garden look natural. Now that we have replaced the surface vegetation with lawn grass, the overgrowth of weeds is under check. 

This in itself is a symbol of how even our inner landscape can become healthier and wholesome if we can  pay attention to our interior through contemplative prayer! I wish the language of love and compassion would grow within us even more!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

New leadership at BBH

I am back in the Bangalore Baptist Hospital guest house  after attending the handing over ceremony of the leadership of the hospital. Dr. Alex after eight years of most effective leadership, during which time the hospital received many national awards for its excellence in clinical service, quality control, education, etc. passed on the mantle of leadership to Dr. Naveen at the hospital chapel. It was a worshipful and solemn service. There was a prayerful and grateful ambience in the chapel.

Naveen and Asha later were greeted by the staff and visitors in the office, which would be his place of activity for the next five years. 

Anna and I have known Naveen as one who takes his calling soberly and responsibly. Asha inherited leadership qualities from her parents, Drs. Kuruvella and Susan Varkey of the Christian Fellowship Hospital Oddanchatram. It was refreshing to see them conduct themselves gracefully and cheerfully conveying confidence and humility during and after the investiture ceremony.

Every time I come to the Baptist hospital, I continue to be amazed at the way the hospital has moved on from the brink of closure in the early eighties. It is a story of God's enabling for its leaders.

I remember Dr. Rebecca Naylor the founder director, telling me  a few times in the mid eighties the challenge of keeping the hospital going after her expatriate colleagues returned to the United States of America and the Baptist Mission having a second thoughts about continuing its association with the hospital. I was associated with the Emmanuel Hospital Association then and explored if the EHA would take over the governance of the hospital for which Dr. Naylor showed a keen interest. When that did not happen, the Christian Medical College, Vellore responded positively after some persuasion to take over its governance. This was the first time CMC did anything like that to support a mission hospital for its continuance. That is now seen as the seminal event, which made the Baptist Hospital what it is today as a Christian Hospital, showing the way for all the mission hospitals to reinvent its role, governance and direction.

The BBH adapted, changed, and now is at the threshold of another leap forward. This is the Lord's doing. Well done, Dr. Alex for you have been faithful. Welcome, Naveen, to serve with a calling!

M.C.Mathew(Text and poto)   

Telephoning displaces conversations!

I watched this colleague send a ‘I will call you later’ message while interrupted by a telephone call during a conversation. That made me reflect on our interactive practices. 

Most of us  use the phone often  when we need something from another person. It is the need that prompts us to make a call. It is true that we would also call others to get in touch with and have a social  and friendly conversation. 

However from an enquiry with ten friends, I realised that while we would have about twenty or so telephone calls we make or receive during the working hours to ‘get the work done’, there may not be any occasions for personal social or friendly conversations. We tend to substitute personal visits by telephone calls.

The post-modern culture endorses individualism and insular living! This is pushing us to become even more lonely. The social media make us think, react and behave to the popular agenda others set. In fact we can be living impulsively conditioned by the thoughts and aspirations of others. 

This calls for conversation times where we begin by telling others in a self disclosure ambience something about our feelings, longings, disappointments or learning. We draw others in to our inner world where we form our values and attitudes. It is for this reason, we need to include Bible, good books,  thematic conversations, etc to become our resources for our personal formation.

As we humans we are more than the work we do- we are created beings in the image of God. This makes us to live responsibly communicating the character of God!  

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)  

Trans-generational conversation!

Tarun who visited us at home last week, has recently joined as a consultant in Medicine after completing his post-gradaute training. He has been a diligent and versatile student thus far. 

One of the questions he raised with us during the conversation was, ‘how to capture the story of the early years of the current day and retired teachers!' Tarun believes  that there a lot we can learn from their learning experiences during student days. The practice of medicine has changed due to the changes in ethics, ethos, approaches, etc.  He wondered whether retelling the story of how  medicine was practiced thirty years back would stimulate and inspire the students to treasure values and reset their priorities.

Anna and I were stimulated by this conversation. It became evident to us that even well accomplished young doctors seem to find something missing in the way we practice medicine, in spite of the advances in technology they have access to. They are searching for a meaning and purpose that they can live with beyond just treating patients and seeing them get better clinically. He did suggest that the ‘wholistic approach’ is a challenge to practice. Yet it seems to hold hope for the future!

I wish we can create a forum to raise such questions and make occasions to hear from senior colleagues about the way they lived fulfilled and holistic lives! 

Anna and I realised that Tarun was addressing us, who were thirty plus years older in the profession! The younger people in the profession are seeking for an identity that they can live with in the profession - wholistic physicians.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Growing up without crying !

Most people interested in behaviour sciences would have  read the book The Road Less Travelled  or heard about Dr. Scott Peck, the author of the book. 

The authentic biography of Dr. Peck by Arthur Jones is a book full of valid explanations about the way Dr. Peck behaved, communicated, cared for patients and created an integrated approach in psychotherapy.

From the age of eight years Dr. Peck seemed to have stopped crying for about thirty years. While in a new school, he was required to take the dictation of the story of Brutus, which the teacher was reading out to the students about the spider and Brutus. Instead of writing down what the teacher was dictating, he was taken up by the challenge and the moral of the story. It was distracting for him to write because the story consumed his full attention. His class mates sitting next to him teased him for ‘not being able’ to write and the teacher too scolded him for that. Dr. peck cried and went home crying for which he got ridiculed by other children at the school.  He was scolded at home. That gave him a message that ‘boys ought not to cry’! 

He grew up through most trying experiences in life not crying, even when he felt sad enough to cry. It was when he was thirty seven years of age he was able to be free himself from this ‘obsession’ not to cry! 

The biography throws much light into the life of this psychiatrist, who captured the attention of millions of readers through his book The Road less travelled (seven million). It is a book of struggles, set backs, drivenness, discoveries, innovative approaches in psychotherapy and spirituality, turning adverse circumstances into opportunities, etc. Dr. Scott Peck enjoyed being in the centre stage for about two decades as a thinker, writer, orator and leader who influenced the practice of Psychiatry globally. His latter years became more demanding on him with decline in health due to Parkinson’s disease and some obsessive patterns which reduced his effectiveness.  

It is a biography that helps us to understand how childhood environment has a critical influence in the evolution of the adult behaviour!   

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Life- Visible and hidden !

During a recent visit to the Christian Medical college, Vellore, while on my morning walk, I noticed these two plants in the garden, partly visible and hidden. What was visible held my attention. I moved around the plants to get a glimpse of what was hidden. I could access only part of what was hidden. I continued my walk carrying this sight upon my heart.

The ‘tip of the iceberg’ is an oft quoted phrase which reveals this dual dimension of visibility and hiddenness.

What is visible about our lives is mostly what pertains to our job, where we live, how we relate, what we pursue as a vocation or hobby, what and how we communicate, etc. There is a lot we come to know about a person by being in touch with him or her. Yet a person is more than all of these. Most people whom we know intimately would surprise us again and again by revealing something more than what we already knew about that person. There is often a larger dimension of our life which remains unknown to others. What we know about a person is enough for us to relate and communicate.

How do we reconcile with what is not known or cannot be known about a person! In one sense, it is this dimension which makes each of us unique. Alan Jones in his book Journey into Christ suggested that we 'live with a double mystery- the mystery of ourselves and of God’. Even after making a in-depth journey into one’s inner world using tools of depth psychology, most psychotherapists consent that there would be still a larger dimension in our lives which would remain unknown to us. So life is a journey to know what can be known about ourselves and God.

This journey ought to meet and converge. It is only as much as we are revealed, we come to know about ourselves. This revealing process begins with intimacy with God. Cornelius and Peter (Acts.10) were in prayer, during which time they experienced a revelation about themselves and what they ought to do next.

What remains hidden about ourselves is a treasure. Our daily journey is also an inner journey towards this mystery of ourselves. Blessed are those, who seek God’s guidance for this risky but transforming voyage!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)  

Till we meet again!

Sneha who contributed as a language and communication specialist in the department for 15 months, left us last week to pursue an opportunity overseas. This is the second time in two years we are losing a valuable person, both because of changes that were beyond their control. 

Sneha sang most of the time during her involvement with children, because her melodious voice comforted and stimulated children. She introduced us to sing during our morning prayer time. I found her skills of teaching highly commendable. She was brief, crisp, and precise when she presented journal articles or a topic for discussion. She organised the academic sessions in the department and encouraged all of us to take turns in presenting topics for advanced learning.  She did all of this cheerfully and thoughtfully.

We would  miss Sneha because, she often encouraged us to remain cheerful and collaborative through her friendly and affirming disposition. 

Sneha maintained her academic interest by conducting a pilot cross sectional study on children with Down syndrome to identify the spectrum of their clinical and learning profile in order to classify them into subgroups. There were several occasions when Sneha took initiative for social gatherings and celebrations. She added flavour to the children in the play group and Early Learning Centre by her creative ideas for play and group interaction. 

We wish Sneha had stayed for a longer period! She would hopefully turn the opportunity at her new work place into an advantage for her colleagues!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo0 

Exam result a relief!

As these students came to greet Anna after they got the examination result, I noticed in their faces a sense of relief and achievement. While talking to some of them, it was evident that the examinations have become a burden. 

A comment by one student suggested that it is the teachers who sometimes create a fear about the examinations. There is an unnecessary focus on examination and clearing it as against the focus on learning and all rounded formation.  

I wonder whether students recover from the stress of examinations! There is an accelerated pace of reading and memorising a couple of months before the examinations. Is it not possible to make learning more natural, spontaneous and self-stimulating. 

During a recent lecture, I got two teams to ask questions and offer answers to each other. I was surprised by the depth of their residual knowledge that I feel that most students can be encouraged in their self-directed learning pursuit by encouragement and recognition of their efforts. 

Let us remember that in the study of medical science, attitudes, values, good practices, listening-communication skills, empathy, etc are also subject matter for students.  Most students would get animated if we can bring this habitually in our teaching-learning encounters !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Philip Yancey on Dr. Paul Brand

I was privileged to hear last month Mr. Philip Yancey speak at CMC Vellore on the occasion of the birth centenary celebration of Dr. Paul Brand. It was Mr.Yancey, who using the few pages of lecture notes of Dr Brand wrote two books, one of which, 'Fearfully and wonderfully made’ remains as a classic on the wonder and mystery of human body. 

Yancey having heard about Dr.Brand and his path breaking journey into treatment and rehabilitation of patients of Leprosy, visited him to interview him. That is when, Dr Brand shared his lecture notes with him, which he had prepared for giving a series of talks during a teaching mission week  at CMC Vellore, where Dr. Brand was working at that time. 

Yancey being a journalist was quick to recognise the treasure in those notes and became aware of the immense resources Dr.Brand possessed because of his integrated approach to life. That is how their collaborative effort  began to publish jointly  six  books in the subsequent years.

While having a personal chat with Mr. Ynacey, he confessed that it was the meeting with Dr. Brand and long years of association with him, which helped him in becoming a writer of the current standing. With over 30 books behind him,  Mr. Yancey regards Dr. Brand as his spiritual father. 

Listening to him give the oration on Dr. Brand, I realised that Dr. Brand’s coming to work in CMC Vellore was in one sense accidental. Dr. brand’s entry into the field of leprosy was a response to the suffering of patients of leprosy he saw at Vellore. Dr. Brand began with no previous experience or expertise, but created a new paradigm of reconstructive surgery to restore the functions of their hands and feet. He spent his life time to  add quality to the life of those who suffered from chronic illnesses which impaired sensation and pain!

During an interview I had with Dr. Brand in 1999, he and Dr.Mrs Margaret Brand mentioned to me that, ‘we were guided to do what we did, often not knowing enough to do it well. We learned what we did not know, because God was with us in this endeavour’.

M.C.Mathew(Text and photo)

Looking back to move forward!

It is one year this week, since my bypass surgery for the heart. I took most of the last month to remember, reflect and meditate on the experiences of the last one year. It  also became a time of fasting from blogging. Let me recall three experiences of this season.

Pausing: The sudden illness with a  mild chest pain became an alarm signal in August 2013,which forced me to seek medical advice. The diagnosis: blocked coronary arteries. It raised questions in my mind as to how it could have happened  in spite of my careful diet and regular exercises. However, I was helped to turn that question to an opportunity to look at the daily rhythm, stress factors,  and make changes to correspond with the ageing process.  A child one morning, as I was walking to my room,  just before my illness said to me that I looked tired. So it was a call to live differently- carry the concerns of each day lightly and stay content.

Learning:   All heart patients have a common learning curve to understand the body and its responses.  The body is anatomically and physiologically conditioned by the mind and and inner self. To live from an inner restful state of mind is the way forward for heart patients. An eighty years old professor who needed cardiac surgery recently told me that he is still struggling to ‘let go’. He happened to mention that he cannot hold many things together even if he wanted and yet he is slow to give away control and surrender to another way of living- finding joy in the small things of life rather than look for something spectacular that others would take note of. Yesterday when Anna and I walked around our property along the walking track which was recently made, we were overjoyed to see how that changed the face of the property which was often overgrown with grass. Now there are flowering plants and recently planted fruit trees. There is a shift taking place within us- delight in what is given and what is possible!

Revising : A friend shared in a recent meeting, how he found spending time with his father has  become a profitable and refreshing experience. Earlier, he consulted his father for opinions and suggestions, but he now loves to have conversations with him centred on life experiences. I was inspired when I heard this. He was moving away from an earlier attitude of ‘wanting’ something more from his father to ‘sharing’ life events mutually. What a revised attitude to relationship! We are not individuals on a solitary journey but people called to be relational and inclusive. 

I am glad life is becoming more open with new prospects. It was a surprise to spot a blue butterfly for the first time, after the monsoon in our garden. It symbolised the prospect of an inner visitation from God!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Ducks in Dry place!

There are ducks who grow up in dry places! A farmer told me that they adapt well and do not miss water. In fact they are not drawn by water even when they sight water. The farmer mentioned that ducks growing up in the dry places adapt better to hostile environment.

So ducks adapt and change their preferred habitat!

As humans we too are resilient and flexible. It is when we are deprived by what we rightly deserve, some of the best transforming experiences take place in our lives!

Yesterday I heard a story of a highly accomplished professional who told me about the freedom he and his colleagues found when a senior colleague moved away to another place. The senior colleagues exerted pressure on his colleagues to conform to his ways and denied spontaneity and creativity. After he moved away, the rest of the team came together with a resolve to forge ahead which they did admirably. This friend concluded this conversation by saying that ‘it was the earlier years of difficulties,  restrictions and stifling of freedom, which helped them to grow in patience and openness’.

There are dry seasons in our lives. Sometimes we are pushed to live in dry places longer than we desire.   Even that would bring some meaningful purposes into our lives! 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

A contrast!

Nature is a silent teacher!

While camping in a retreat centre couple of weeks back, I noticed this sight in the morning at a distance. One hill top was covered with clouds and was only partially visible. The other was brightly lit in the morning sunshine and its treasure was laid open for any one to behold!

These two sights came upon me as symbols of human nature. Some people live their lives protected by the insulation they provide for themselves. They would use their  position, acclaim, success, popularity, skills, etc. to insulate themselves from revealing their true self. 

Some others live their lives transparently inviting others to read their lives. They convey an openness even when they make an error of judgement. They live and relate to enhance communication and mutuality!

I wish, we would choose to live our lives publicly and as an open book!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Stories from medical history!

At a conference last week, I heard Sojan Iype talk about his neurosurgical training and the animal work which he did during the training years. He was the first one in India to explore if omentum can be used to re-vascularise a part of the brain which suffered ischaemia. The work was done in different animals. While referring to this experience, he mentioned how knowledge expansion was a passion for his teachers, Dr. K.V.Mathai and Dr. Jacob Abraham. The former advanced in trying newer approaches in neuro-surgery and the latter spent time for finding new treatment modalities through basic science research. Dr.Sojan at the end of his training came to central Kerala to establish the first neuroscience department with neuroimaging facility in the early nineteen eighties. 

Dr. Jeyaseelan referred to his contribution of creating a simple  statistical software to calculate the sample size of patients and controls required to be recruited for clinical research. This was in response to the requests of many students of research, who needed such a simple tool for initiating research.  

I was glad to have had an opportunity to photograph these two pioneers, when Dr. Sojan was handing over a memento to Dr. Jeyaseelan in acknowledgement of his contribution to the research methodology workshop. 

The hundreds of unspoken contributions of many women and men in the practice of medicine are too significant to be lost during the passage of time. We require to bring the professionals together to tell us stories, lest we forget the strands that weave the medical history in our country!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)       

An alarming trend!

I have a strong suspicion that the smart phones, computers, internet, video games, movies, etc would gradually displace our social and family times! The trends are in that direction. 

The marketing of this fast communication culture is cleverly done with no respect for the harm it causes to privacy, family times and personal space. 

The scientists are alert to warn us of the several health related risks and disadvantages due to the habitual use of mobile phones. But they escape the attention of the users as the advertising techniques are emotionally captivating.  

Let me suggest that we use the land phones whenever possible. Some international airports still have the same number of land line phones for common use  in spite of them being less commonly used as  people carry their own personal phones. This to me is a message that the land phones are risk free.

Human behaviour seems to be more and more controlled by conditioning influences. I wish we would counter it by restricting mobile phone use only when a land line is not accessible!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)    

A second visit after thirty years!

I recently returned to view this painting after thirty years. It was painted by a medical student portraying his friends who were surgically interested, watching an operation done in an archaic setting. This painting adorned different rooms at the Christian Medical College, Vellore in the past. Its present place is in the Director’s office. 

I was given the permission to be alone to observe this painting for most part of a morning, which gave me time to connect with some of the students in this painting, with whom I have maintained some contact over the years. 

I spent time meditating on the body language of the students which the painter captured with prophetic accuracy. Most of them have become temperamentally and behaviourally what the body language predicted about themselves. 

It is an amazing painting that reveals and instructs about human formation!

By the time we are adolescents we have already imbibed our inner orientation from the tapestry of our experiences!  

So childhood and adolescent years are formative years which need protection and promotion for integrative formation!

M.C.Mathew(texta and photo)  

Returning home!

This painting in one of the rooms of the Big Bunglow at CMC Vellore held my attention for its brilliance and theme. 

The colour of the painting suggests that it is the dusk when the clear sky is crimson with a radiant hue of lighter colour on the clouds. The Light before the darkness! The light is radiant and bright in a splendid fashion, easy for the eye to behold, in the background of darkness that is setting in  slowly. The darkness is stifling, threatening and restricting in nature in one way. Before the restraining impact of darkness can impact us, there is a glow of grace in abundance for humans to receive. This Light is the symbol of the eternal Light that Jesus of Nazareth brought to humanity through His earthly presence- the light which is hope generating amidst the darkness and gloom around. The barren trees in the painting remind us of the ‘desert’ climate which prevails. We too can have seasons of inner desert experiences sometimes in our lives! 

The theme of this painting is ,'returning home’! The two humans and a dog walking back after the day’s labour!. As it is often, the woman bears the burden of the load of firewood on her head and walks couched. It is an awakening call to humanity to recognise that women who opt to bear the burdens of the rest of the family, is the source of grace in our homes. The man with is work implement is less couched and walks freely. Men seem to opt to live their lives, less connected with the realities of the burdens of others in the family by self congratulating for for being the wage earner of the household. Much is expected from the one to whom much is given! Men can bear the burdens of others little more! The dog leads them in to their way home. The dog has become their companion tarrying with them through the day to take them back to their home ! The dog reminds of them of the home all through the demanding work load of the day and waits for them to return! The dog calls them back to their centre, the home,  lest the struggles of daily living tempt them to go on working! The dog seems to represent the mission of the Spirit God in human hearts calling us to return to God who is our home. 

In the Old Testament the prophet Isaiah suggests that ‘..in return and rest you shall be saved..’(Isiah.30.15)

Let me thank the painter, who conveyed such a meditative theme in his painting. 

Sow a seed and harvest a fruit!

This is the first pine apple we gathered from our cultivation in our front lawn. Anna served it for our guests, who thought it was fresh and tasteful!

What was it like, waiting for about six months, to see the fruit grow from what it was, when it first appeared in the plant! A season of anticipation and watching over it! The squirrels and rats are fond of pine apple. It escaped their attention.

There is a metaphor to life from this experience.

When we came to live in the cottage in this property twenty months back, we had no idea of how we can make the environment eco-freindly. Anna and I had no farming experience. We could not even guess about the fertility of the land. We began with no foreknowledge or skills. 

Now since we started seeing plants and trees grow in the property, we realise that earth shall produce a yield, when it is cultivated and cared for. 

So beginnings and growth are directly linked to the efforts we make.

I come across many people who hesitate to start on an entrepreneurial journey because of fear or uncertainty of the future. We should not be like what Jesus of Nazareth spoke about- a man who having received a small portion of money decided to store it under the earth rather than invest it to get interest!

The little things we do as acts of kindness shall bear fruit. Every small good deed shall sprout to it fullness!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo) 

What lies within us!

We make external journey to discover nature, sights, scenes, monuments, etc. We discover what we set out to find!

There is  an  inner journey one ought take to discover meaning of experiences, life-events, relationships, achievements, etc!

Yesterday, while talking to someone whom I know for about twenty years, I came across a new dimension of his personal inner journey to grow in the art of being mindful of others. One of his colleagues looked distraught at work. He initially ignored it. But he felt compelled to enquire from him if all was well! That led to a disclosure which needed attention and action. He was prompt in helping him because of which his disappointment could be resolved!

While sharing the details of this event, he mentioned about the inner consciousness of the need which he felt while observing his colleague. He responded to it promptly.

It is a consciousness  all of us can cultivate by practice. All meaningful inner journey would be possible only if we cultivate a sensitive spirit to discern the inner movements that take place in response to what we see, hear, or read! That inner vigilance can guide us to revisit experiences to draw meaning and insight which can bless our lives. Our inner alertness is the flash light that reveals the truth submerged in the inner recess of our lives!

The treasures hidden within us can be more valuable than the pursuit of 'things' we desperately seek after!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)