A good experience!

I was reluctant to play at the badminton tournament for fear of not being fit! But at the closing function of the tournament, the students surprised the chief guest Dr. Sojan Ipe, the Medical Superintendent, by making a public announcement of inviting both of us to play a ten point match, which we completed enjoying every bit of  the game. Although Sojan claimed not to have played badminton before, he surprised me by his skills. 

It is not the activity of playing that seemed important, but the pleasure of joining in to make the celebration even more special for students. The students deserved every encouragement and appreciation and both of us were comfortable to expose our most elementary skills in Badminton before students whom we have begun to regard highly!

I wish the staff-faculty relationships would exceed and extend beyond the class room and clinics.

It is necessary for the students to be aware of the ordinariness of the faculty in many domains so that relationship emerge not from fear but out of mutual respect and regard.  

M.C.Mathew

Visitors and friends!

This pretty golden Oriel came searching for its food in our garden, but later I noticed it returning with coir fibres between its beak. Anna and I were glad that this word found our courtyard hospitable to nest for this season

It is the third nesting season Anna and I are spending in our cottage in Kerala. This brought an awareness of the three years that have gone by.   

A few days before the visit of the bird, some final year students of MOSC MCH whom Anna was nurturing for developing their research skills happened to visit us at our home for an evening of leisure and fun.

During the conversation we realised that it took a while for the students to feel at home with our ways and and having overcome some of the inhibitions, there is a wavelength of communication, which they and we find refreshing. 

What lasts beyond time is relationships. Anna and I are still learning to remain young at heart so that we can stay in touch with younger people and learn from their inspirational stories of adventure and resilience.

M.C.Mathew (text and photo) 

A good time to break the silence!

The batch of 2011 student of MOSC Medical College offered an unusual gesture of kindness to the Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology department recently. They took the lead to organise the second Badminton tournament in aid of the starting the Hall of Residence at the department to welcome children for short term stay. About thirty team of students and faculty participated and the matches were played in the indoor courts of the college on three evenings. 

The enthusiasm of those who took the responsibility to organise was infectious. It was one of those occasions when the students and the faculty joined in spontaneously, to come together for three evenings of good fun and conversations. Thank you Thomas and your friends for leading this initiative.  A big thank you, to the college union and the sports secretary which facilitated this event.

Susan from the department floated the idea of serving cake and juice at nominal charges, which was a good fund raising effort. 

I was more than surprised at the way the the event was organised well, with ease and delight.

You would know from this that this experience encouraged me well enough to re-begin posting on the blog after a break of two months. Anna and I had few travels within the country and overseas during the last two months and internet access was not easy. 

Sometimes, it is good to allow oneself to be lazy as long as it odes not cause inconvenience  to others....

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)