Generation Z -new brand ambassadors !

I found this article in THE HINDU on 24th June, interesting and informative. The sub-caption of the article that 'in the next three to four years they will march in to our work place in huge numbers..' caught my attention. 

We have a techno-savy generation of young people who are gadget driven with considerable skills in accessing information, managing it and pursuing a leisurely approach to work culture. All the formality associated with work- working hours, dress code, office space, etc are all changing. The Z generation would prefer flexible working hours, casual wear all the time at work and formal occasions and a lounge like setting for the office space. The central theme of the work culture is gadget dependence and using the social media in work execution.

I see its reflection among health care professionals in a variety of ways. 

Let me suggest that the health care planners ought to consider an inevitable reality that they would have a floating work force from now on. The Z generation would seek after what suits them. So the work culture ought to change to accommodate their aspirations, where the emphasis would have to be  on person centred approach rather than a policy driven work ambience. 

It was a historical moment for CMC Vellore yesterday, when a decision was made to allow part time work for women as a first step towards its openness to change!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)      

Doctors in a carpentry session!

I was pleasantly surprised to watch these doctors doing an almost professional level carpentry work to make a garden bench for a new garden which the first year medical students were creating in the Big Bungalow premises at CMC, Vellore campus, as part of their foundation course.

I like the way the carpentry club started to promote interest in carpentry among students and faculty has already become an hub of activity with valuable creative contribution. I happened to see a recently made logo of a clinical department carved in wood with a mat finish polish, which I thought was an art piece of high quality in aesthetics, craftsmanship and imagery.  

I happened to visit the carpentry club room recently. I was amazed to observe the professional touch to its set up with advanced facilities with relevant machinery and equipment for easy start for any one for a learning journey in wood work. Whether it is for leisure or for developing into a hobby, the facility offers much prospects.

I remember the words of St. Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, when he exhorts us to '..work with your hands..'! There is a fascinating journey of contentment when we design and create something in wood!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

  

    

A silent chapel!

The chapel at the Christian Medical college campus is usually silent on Sunday evenings now as the chapel service is now held in another location for want of space. The corridor in front of the chapel  and steps in the back leading to the chapel were often crowded on an ordinary evening service. If it was a special service, more chairs were added inside the chapel. But even that did not create enough room inside.

The evening chapel service at the college and hospital campuses are special events for the community at the Christian Medical College,Vellore as many look forward to this community fellowship at the beginning of the week. The visitors to the chapel are from all faiths and they come to be inspired and to renew their vocation.

'Not to be served, but to serve', which is the motto of the institution is a noble calling and the chapel service is one occasion when this calling is renewed.

It is most encouraging that more people come for the worship, which is a symbol of the inward journey of faith many in the community are engaged in!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Different inspite of similar conditions.

I have been watching how these plants planted about fourteen years back outside the Big Bungalow in the  CMC campus at Bhagayam grow. The similar plants in pairs through the years maintained a different growth profile. Now the similar plants look different in height, shoots and foliage.

One of the regular comments I hear when talking to the leaders of different organisations is that people behave differently although they work and grow in similar circumstances and environment. The Biblical story of Jacob and Esau (Genesis. chapters :25, 27and 28)prop up in my mind with two different temperaments, habits, interests, attitude, self regard, work ethics, etc. when I listen to such narrations.

Often these differences  become a reason for misunderstanding, competition and conflict.

Instead, I wonder whether we can look at the elegant appearance of these plants just as they are, adorning the central part of the lawn, giving a grandiose look to the Bungalow, which is now nearing 100 years since its construction.   

Our differences in outlook or approach to issues do not matter if we have similar, values, God consciousness, serving attitude and loyalty to the mission we are engaged in. 

Let me suggest the God of our lives make us different to make the garden of His making rich and diverse just as it is the differently made pieces that constitute a puzzle. We are not meant for a solo journey of pilgrimage but together in mutuality and togetherness. The differences make the total even more rich and complete! 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

A refreshing visit!

I was in for a surprise when I went to visit the Developmental Paediatrics Unit at CMC Vellore today in the morning.  They had arranged a birthday party for me much ahead of my birthday! I was touched by their kindness.

What surprised me even more is the gathering of young professionals from different disciplines to make it perhaps the largest department of its nature in any Medical School in in India. There was palpable purposeful cohesion in their team effort. 

I left this unit in 2009 on superannuation. Since its beginning in 1997, in partnership with ASHIRVAD Christian Concern for Child Care by incorporating its Child Development Centre at Chennai, to begin the Developmental paediatrics unit, this unit has moved on with distinction academically, professionally, and organisationally. I continue to be amazed by the spirit of care and mindfulness they convey to every family who visit them, although the demand for their services has quadrupled in the last six years.

I returned from this pilgrimage with hope surging in my heart about its future and that of the professionals!

What is that which brings the best out of us while performing our responsibilities. It is the trust and appreciation we communicate with an overt interest in their well being and formation! I see lot of that in the department.

When the work related demands increase, there is a need to increase the caring culture towards our colleagues. I sensed such an ambience today.


M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

Summer blossoms!

Summer times bring some surprises.

Some plants thrive even when they are not watered or specially cared for. They adjust to the natural rhythm of nature and adapt themselves to live their life-cycle. They have no choice or prospects for a different existence.

Yesterday in a conversation I listened to an experience where the circumstances seemed to overwhelm a person to accept what was contrary to his need. He accepted a decision of the authorities that 

denied him an opportunity to pursue his rightful academic pursuit. He was rattled by this for a while.

Another opportunity which was offered to him after six months seemed to compensate for the loss of the earlier offer. Fifteen years later, when he looks back now, that opportunity led to a series of good academic progress in an area of his special interest in which he has acquired considerable proficiency. 

There can be a 'desert' like experience in our lives. But they are special times with a larger purpose beyond the initial trial or disappointment. 

To live with ease and confidence during a 'dry season' can have a formative impact in our lives. The difficult times would then become even more purposeful. 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

Beliefs and behaviour!

It is common to find sign posts in pubic places to help people find their  direction and location.

It is not common to find elegantly crafted sign boards. So sighting this was indeed a surprise.

I asked a few people why this house alone is given a special status of a unique sign post. One of them mentioned to me that 'all the houses ought to have such visible and aesthetically prepared sign post'.

A good thought! The houses have impressive outer appearance, but the sign boards do not conform to its corresponding elegance!

This is a dichotomy in real life! There are mismatches in the way we function. A friend of mine travels in his car five kilometers to buy fish at five or ten rupees cheaper for a kilo. He would have spent almost an hour in this exercise and burned a litre of petrol! He looses a lot more while trying to save.

How can we live coherently with least paradoxes! A child helped me to understand this better. Ever since there has been the campaign for 'Swatch Bharat', this seven year boys insists on gathering the waste from the kitchen to make a compost. His sister is his helper in this. He told me in a conversation, that 'we keep the environment clean not to show others what we do, but because keeping the environment clean is our way of living'.

His focus was on integrative living by resonating in behaviour what he believes in!

Our beliefs determine our behaviour!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Father's day!

There will be Father's day celebrations globally next week!

Some of us are parents and grandparents. I wish there will be an international day set apart for  grandparents!  

As I gathered this photo for this blog post from my archives, I had mixed emotions. I was pleased with the father using a helmet in a state of India where wearing helmet is optional by law. I felt most encouraged by the safety consciousness with which he behaved.

The flip side was that there were three others in the motor bike, none with a head protective gear! 

A father is one who thinks beyond himself! He considers the needs of others in the family as his priority and attends to them with a sense of love and care!

Yesterday, I heard a three ear old child telling her father,'Daddy, you have a cycle and a car. I do not even have a tricycle'! The father turned to the mother and said, 'let us go and buy Suvita a bicycle this week end. It is the first time she is telling us about her interest in cycling '.

I was moved by this conversation. A child received attention and a response to her need!

A father's heart ought to be large and gracious. A father is also one who makes formative contributions to the life of the family members!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Hand is conditioned by the body!

As I watched this creation of an artist where a hand acquired different images, I felt fascinated by this art form.

In my conversation with some students who perform in stage  using this art form of hand movements to create designs, letters, words, shapes and patterns, I discovered something surprising. It is when they can control their body during a performance they can synchronise the movements of hands many persons to create a design or pattern. The body first then the hand!

Is it not revealing a greater truth! A body with different parts or members as they are referred to metaphorically in Biblical literature, co-ordiates and synchronises the movements of the hand.

This is a sociological phenomenon as well. It is a community  that controls or regulates an individual!

How is this community that we are part of! The road leading from our home to the main road was resurfaced couple of years back and is now in an unroadable condition. Where as, a road laid at the same time in another village has weathered two monsoons with no damage to its surface. The difference! One was poorly laid with the contractor ignoring the standard practices to save cost with the connivance of the supervisors. The other was well laid with adherence to good practices! The breach of good practices give permission to many to do similarly in their trade and profession. The adherence to good practices do not seem to have enough trickle down effect.

The 'body' governs the function of the hand. The community impacts the way an individual thinks, behaves and performs! 

We are a developing nation economically. I cannot say the same about our collective moral thermostat!

Let this collective moral consciousness and righteous attitude to life and living begin in each home!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Mother's instinct!

As I watched this calf feeding on her mother, I was fascinated with the mother's still posture. She stayed available to the calf through that period of fifteen minutes. This is most similar to what a mother would do during her breast feeding time with her baby!

The mother remains available exclusively for her offspring during the feeding time!

Hurry is the enemy of availability!

Let me complement the recent worldwide advocacy initiatives to promote breast feeding practices as long it is possible for the mother to feed, at least till the baby is 18 months of age! There are several advantages of breast feeding.

One emotional advantage is availability of the mother which then creates the strands that weave the fabric of bonding between the mother and the baby! This calls for emotional presence while breast feeding beyond just the physical presence. Can we encourage a mother  to stay focussed on thinking, feeling and inwardly relating to the baby during breast feeding rather than being distracted by watching the TV, listening to music or engaging in conversation! The breast feeding time is a private time between the mother and the baby which needs to be protected from other distractions. In fact when the mother stays looking at the baby and stroking while feeding, there is evidence to suggest that baby receives more milk and mother returns from the breast feeding time emotional refreshed!   

Being available is a mother's natural instinct! Let us affirm its value and highlight its lasting impact!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

One step in learning!

I take time to sit in with my colleagues who introduce children to a methodology of learning, which they can use for their advanced learning. This is s simple pedagogical principle: learning by association.

As this child is shown a picture, he picks up its name from among several pieces of name labels. He then would read the word by spelling it aloud. Then he would associate the picture to an actual object and its function whenever possible. This is learning by knowing, different from the rote learning.

Every step of learning is thus made in to a hierarchy of steps of understanding, with sequences made easy. 

The steps of understanding are difficult to define for all children alike as each child has a thought or perceptual block at different levels of the hierarchy of learning steps. We refer to this as challenges in learning, for which we need to find by-pass strategies.  

I have been using an apple computer for three years now. I am still most elementary in my knowledge of  its versatility and find my mind struggling to sequence the steps of technical learning. I have got used to essential details related to posting what I write at the blog site. Does that mean that I know all about blogging. Not at all!

Most of us live with fragmented knowledge. Most of our arguments or disagreements are created by our strong adherence to the step of learning that we have arrived at and not seeing well enough the other steps others have climbed! 

Knowing is a process which begins by freeing ourselves from our current position because knowing itself is a movement from the known to the unknown! We would know more if what others think and tell us inspire us to find the next step in our learning process!

M.C.Mathew(text and photograph)

Flowers in summer!

Flowers communicate a lot!

When the temperature is over 40 degree celsius all around, this bunch of flowers seem to stay fresh, resistant to the hot breeze and scorching sun. Its roots are behind this defiance!

The roots reach out to the subsoil and would find its source of moisture!

The challenge is its incentive to flourish in the adverse conditions!

I am in the midst of a challenge to make some changes in my work-style and number of working days  that would sustain me to stay fresh!

The sight of this plant and its flowers gave me an indication that we are bestowed with insights that can help us to live well and fulfilled, no matter what the circumstances are.

A friend shared with me this morning that he accepted the denial of permission to go to speak at an international conference as an occasion to grow in resilience. he refers to this event which occurred 15 years back as a 'desert' that formed him.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Being occupied or distracted!

I was fascinated by how a colleague managed to get a child to sit at the table to explore some toys. He is short of attention and has some needs in learning and integrating .

Every time he left the table, she would cajole him to come back to the table with new toys. For some reason, he stayed for a while with this moving puzzle box and showed some interest in exploring. She was seeking for his attention, when he had other competing interests.

Even a three year old child can exhaust us of our patience and ideas!

In this case, I was glad that my colleague contested his distraction with new approaches.

I spend this week on reflection and recollection. I am about to complete two years after my bypass surgery! 

I am examining my habits to get to know about the way I occupy my time. Sometimes distractions occupy my time rather than a planned activity. As I audit this process, I realise  that it is necessary to be in charge of the next moment as it has the possibility of being spent in a distraction! 

It is a good practice to audit our distractions periodically to find out whether we occupy our time or distractions occupy our time!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)    

The news we read!

During a recent meeting with students to explore the theme, 'How to live life', I encouraged the students to do an exercise in groups. The five groups examined five national news papers to look for items that connect with our daily living. All the five groups found that there was negative reporting and a lot of news of violence, accidents, crime, corruption, war, calamity, suicide, etc. They felt that  the english TV news channels also specialise on 'expose' of the political misadventures of leaders in and outside the government. 

We feed our minds with an awful lot of what can discourage us and deprive us of the charm of living and serving!

With the withdrawal of Maggie noodles from the Indian market due to the high content of contaminants, we are even more suspicious about the authenticity of many things we have taken for granted!

So how are we to live!  Yesterday I was given a poster by the students summarising the content of the discussion during that afternoon meeting. One caption in the poster was, 'live mindful of others'.

That indeed is the message and summary of the Good Samaritan story! 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)   

The stillness of butterfly!

I am often intrigued by butterflies, especially the small ones. Some of them are truly exotic in their appearance.

In the garden around the cottage where Anna and I live, we have a variety of small butterflies that it is a visual feast on a sunny morning to sit and watch them!

The mouth parts of the butterflies are difficult to observe however close one might be to them. I try using a macro lens to get a feel of how they gather the honey. There is stillness in the body for an ultra short time during which time they suck out the honey. There is lot of fluttering before and after that. 

It is in stillness a butterfly does its most important activity.

It is similar for humans too. It is in the interior stillness, we have communion with God much beyond every other spiritual exercise would offer us. I feel that there is a lot of emphasis on the spiritual exercises of  reading the scripture, meditation, oral prayer, singing, fellowship, Eucharist, etc in one's personal and corporate life. 

I wonder whether being silent before God is given a similar importance! During silence before God, we are drawn into communion, which is what our souls are longing for!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

The sense of wonder!

Anna and I noticed this Cactus plant with several new shoots with flowers, growing in the wild in the Brookland guest house compound at Connoor. We knew about this phase of the growth of the Cactus plants, but was seeing such a sight for the first time, two years back.

The Cacti plants give these new shoots infrequently, which make this even more special. 

However one has to wait tentatively and patiently for the season! The season of plenty is worth waiting for because it has many surprises.

As I receive pictures of Eathan everyday I am in for a surprise. He is exploring, observing, socialising, communicating, reacting and experiencing. In all of these, at seven months of age, he conveys a sense of wonder, appreciation and amazement.

He is a lesson for me to stay in awe and wonder at many silent things in nature, which is for us to richly enjoy.

On my walk this morning, a male Robin was on the centre of the road, least disturbed by some of the morning walkers, presenting itself for us to have a glimpse of the beauty that abides in a small bird!

Staying in  sense of wonder is therapeutic to our soul!

M.C.Mathew(text and picture)