A Morning Chore!

 

The Wood peckers interests me a lot. The more I watch them the more I become curious to look for more of their skills in living. 

Almost every morning I notice a wood pecker on this dry tree. I decided to keep a watch on its behaviour while perched on the top of this tree. With my 400 mm telephoto lens, I had a closer look at it for about half an hour, till it flew away. 

I noticed three distinct designs it had during this time in search of insects under the bark of this tree. First it would get a hold of  bark between its bills and try to break it  in fragments. It then waits to spot the moving white ants. Then it proceeds in all directions to separate the bark form the trunk on all sides. The third activity which was of utmost interest to me was how it broke the dry twigs by holding the tip of it between its bills and drop it (last photo).

I was made to think about the instinct and plan with which birds behave. They seek and find what hey need. They grow up practicing this art of living!

I have been in touch with some who work in mission hospitals. Each mission hospital has a different story of finding its way forward in this difficult pandemic situation. What was common between all of them is the steadfast desire to overcome this distressing situation which has offset plans and routines in the hospitals. 

One consultant in his message suggested that, but for the mission  hospitals the people in some rural areas would have been hit badly, when some with COVID 19 needed intensive care. I found out that the recovery rate from COVD19 was phenomenal in the mission hospitals. Although part of it might be attributable to the resilience of the rural population, the role of the staff in the mission hospitals stand out from the stories I hear about the innovations they adopted.  

The wood pecker excelled in problem solving while fending for its morning meal. Most of the teams in mission hospitals too were creative to surprise us beyond our wildest dreams. They were original in their endeavours to create a new level of esteem for human life. They worked by a plan and resolve. I feel moved as I listen and read the stories coming from the mission hospitals.  

I felt inspired by this and offered on-line consultation for children and families for the last three months. When I listen to about five families each day, I feel even more inspired by the spirit of hope hey share, although children have been home bound for at least six months now. This is the longest time children were out of schools in the last fifty years. 

We have substituted the regular class rooms by on-line classes and feel that we have innovated. But the stories of loneliness, restlessness, in attention, disinclination to be on line to watch the teaching programme, etc would worry anyone who feel the loss of normal social life children need for their formation and developmental progress in communication and interactive skills. Children learn form an array of experiences. Such opportunities have been reduced for nine months now. Some state have allowed movie halls, restaurants, worship places to function. How unfortunate that schools received least of attention till now! Why is that the do not even have a phased out plan for schools!

The wood pecker was a problem solver! We have greater skills than a wood pecker! I wish we would collaborate  to find a way forward to restore childhood for children!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)