A Friendship that upbuilds!

Anna and are back after a three week travels. One visit that brought encouragement was being with Katharine and Peter. It is now twenty five years since we met first them. Since then we have had several pleasant occasions to spend time together and share journey experiences. 

Katharine's efforts to capture the story of ASHIRVAD on three different occasions remain fresh in our memory. The first two impressions she had of ASHIRVAD appeared in the books she wrote-first one  on the history of INTERSERVE Widening horizons and the second one as an exclusive narration of ASHIRVAD, Beginnings. The third narrative of ASIRVAD of our time at CMC Vellore is yet to be published. 

Knowing Peter, an architect by profession has been rather special.  He is a champion for preserving the river Thames and its river front, eco-freindly and as a nature's gift for the Londoners. They live  on the bank of the river. Their garden overlooks into the river with a good view of a river flowing full during the high tide. Peter is a resource for others on the history of river Thames. 

We were touched by their hospitality, youthful spirit of adventure and creativity. Their garden is a testimony to it with abundance of vegetables and fruits. The trees were full with peaches and apples, grapes.

The evening times of conversations around supper and afterwards brought much cheer and refreshment to us. Thank you Katharine and Peter for welcoming us into your hearts and to our home. 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Butterflies have a choice!

Every time I find a new species of butterfly in the garden, I try following its path of flight to get a feel of its natural habitat. I found this butterfly sticking to one variety of flowers all that time for a good one hour. Flowers with a different odour or colour it avoided.

Yesterday while talking to friend who is an ardent student of nature,  mentioned that butterflies have a preference for taste and it would search for that taste in the honey! 

Even a small butterfly has the freedom to make a choice.

One of the challenges I have while meeting with parents is to get their consent to give some allowances for their children. The higher level educational achievements of people of educational level in the state of Kerala has made them achievement oriented in their approach to children. Even co-curricular and extra curricular activities are not considered valuable for students. All achievements must converge towards academic excellence according to many parents!

Let children be children with some choices and decisions left to them! That is how they are created to be. Even the boy who provided five loaves and two fish to Jesus of Nazareth to feed five thousand people had in one sense disappointed his parents by doing something out of his choice!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Rhythm and change !

As Anna and I live close to nature and spend time each day in the garden, we are getting a feel of the rhythm of the fruit bearing trees. 

For about eight months in a year, we  see  trees occupying space and thriving. It is not a pleasant sight to look at those trees during such times. A tree might look dull and not significant during the non-fruit bearing season. 

But as soon as the flowers appear and fruits begin to be seen, the trees adorn with their mission.

This nutmeg tree has flowered twice during this year and produced fruits, which is evident from the different sizes of the fruits. It is now flowering third time!

The gardener working with us reminds me that it is because of the additional care we offered during the last year. 

What ever it is, we discovered that even the rhythm in nature may not be the same every year. It too can change. Change revises our view of the rhythm.

I recognise that change is difficult to conceive and adapt to. The college library at the place Anna and I work has about twenty or so visitors on an average day. Although the reading habits have increased with people using their personal computers and smartphones, the library does not attract readers. But other libraries which have gone digital are still popular! 

Make change a habit to create new rhythms!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

     

Another way!

All the fruits that we have in the garden normally hang form the stem. But this fruit stays erect. It is an exception. For this plant it is not an exception.

I have had a few experiences recently, while interacting with leaders of organisations when issues of human behaviour came up for discussion. Most leaders are comfortable when people conform to what is common. When one person has a different view or behaves or interacts differently it is sometime unsettling and disturbing for the leaders. To deal with an exception or recognise it as valid calls for patience and wisdom. 

We as humans are created to be distinct and unique. Yesterday, while listening to a 13 year old girl, she asked me a disturbing question in the presence of her parents,'why do my parents insist on me behaving like my brother?'. 

I have a colleague who is most cordial and thoughtful while responding on phone. She has on orem days over 50 telephone calls to attend. She is the same in courtesy even at the end of the day or end of the week.  

It cannot be normal for most of us as we can get bugged having to attend and listen to so many! But for her it is her second nature!

I wish all of us can value each other and recognise our individual gifts and abilities.

The girl referred to above is craving for her unique space in her family! May we offer place and recognition to all those who are different from us and others among us! They can be messengers of insight for others!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

      

Light enlightens!

During the walk in the garden around 10 am on Sunday, the garden looked special in different hues with the brilliant sunshine after the cloudy sky for a week.

As Anna and I walked pass the flowering plants we noticed the way they looked different  from different positions.

The sunshine made the flowers look different when viewed from different positions.

Yesterday I was in meeting, listening to different perspectives on an issue with each person adhering to  his view excluding the opinion of others. It became argumentative.

 It is then this sight we saw on Sunday came to mind with its relevance.

We are enlightened by the light to see and follow the way. The Light within each of us is the same Light that is is in every person who is living. Some recognise and respond to the Light because of which they become aware of this shared Light of God and the incorporating character of the Light. So we are made aware of the shades of opinion as valuable assets for a corporate journey.

It is important that we become less  argumentative but more discerning in which case the the shared Light would bring to us the spectrum of truth from the opinions and perspectives of others.

Life is a journey of learning and growing often moving towards beholding the love with which we are loved by God. In that consciousness of the self-giving love of God, we view others through the optic of love in which case opinions shared are also viewed lovingly!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Fitst fruits !

Anna and I have been learning a lot about gardening over three years since we have been living in the farm land!

Most of the fruit bearing plants we planted three years back have given their first fruits during this season. It is a delight to walk through the garden and celebrate the new life of the plants after the monsoon. They have grown, flowering and dancing in the sun with new vigour.

One aspect of the gardening experience we are learning is the need to do what is needed at the right time. They need attention almost daily!

This has brought  us new awareness about the rhythm of life! Every day is complete only by following a rhythm of paying attention to the life within and without! Giving attention to the life within calls for time for reflection and renewal. Giving attention to the life around us calls for planning and watching over with attention  and care! 

Life is a journey towards coherence and convergence... St Augustine said, '.. our souls are restless till they find in rest in Thee, Lord of of our lives!'

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

After three years!

The developmental Paediatrics services at MOSC Medical college completes three years of its mission this month. It is a time to look forward and look backward.

Some special things happened during the last three years. One of them is the team of professionals. It has become the valuable asset of the department. There is a collective mission which the team pursues actively in providing an array of services for children with different neuro-developmental needs. 

We are now looking forward to planning for the next three years. With the prospects of getting a residential facility ready for children soon, it is likely that the focus would be on creating a package of comprehensive services. 

It was a small beginning three years back... it is bearing fruit. I am touched by the commitment and sense of calling  of my colleagues!

M.C.Mathew