I decided to be lazy and follow no plan for the morning today!
Our domestic worker was cutting the grass on the lawn and I went to be with him for a while. What captured me was this shadow of the wood apple tree on the lawn. A sharp clear shadow of the tree!
My memory went back to a question Malcolm Gladwell raised in the introduction of his book, What the dog saw- Do we know the interior thoughts of others! We see their shadows through what they say!
Shadows have a literal and symbolic meaning. The symbolic meaning is often associated with a negative aspect or dark side of a person.
But while watching the shadow for a while, and noticing it move to occupy different lawn areas, I realised that it is the sunlight that is directing the shadow. It is protective for the lawn because I noticed that the grass underneath the tree is more green.
The shadow in that sense is symbolic of how we gently cover others with care and thoughtfulness. The inner light shining on us from God equips us to bring others into the shelter of the shadow. Every shadow of care we offer has a nurturing and pastoral potential!
Following the recent flood in Chennai, I came across a story of how a person using a ladder brought food to a stranger family for three days, when the residents were confined to the first floor of their house following flooding of the ground floor!
May we through our words and attitudes leave a shadow of care and hope!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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