Most of the photographs above do not qualify to be good quality by photographic standards. However they were my best action photos of birds from our garden.
As I revisited these photos taken recently, I tried recalling the place and the my readiness to capture these sights. Some birds were at those spots only for few seconds.
For someone like who has poor knowledge of the physics of light in photography, the above photos do not satisfy my expectations.
I live longing to take better photos which I think is a good intention and dream. But I sensed that one can go through seasons in life without taking delight in what is possible rather than live only dreaming.
I completed 37 years of practicing Developmental Medicine this month. I have some regrets in not having written enough about my observations, or consolidated the experiences with evidences or developed a handbook with the insights of these years. That disappointment comes up often.
But I took time during this week end to turn back on my clinical observations which led me to my learning about the neurological basis of developmental disorders. I counted 42 of them which significantly influenced my approach to Neuro-developmentally challenged children.
I entered into full time practice of Developmental medicine with no formal training in 1983. After two years of accessing information from different Child Development Centres overseas, I got a direction which got reinforced after my formal training at the Institute of Child Health in London. There was no formal training programme in the UK as it exists now. It was the annual month long observership in different Neuro-developmental departments and clinical neurology services during the next ten years that gave me roots and shoots to grow. It was during the three years at the Madras Institute of Neurology at the Madras Medical College, which expanded my horizon.
A senior colleague, Dr K.C.Mammen told me a few years back, 'M.C, you were the first Developmental Paediatrician in India at a time when there was no such specialty in india. You started the first Child Development Centre in India at Chennai.. You established the first academic department of Developmental Paediatrics in CMC Vellore. Now will you turn to train fifteen Developmental Paediatricians in India !'
I kept thinking about it over the last three years. For some reason, that did not move forward. After the post graduate Fellowship programme and PhD programme were started in CMC in 2005, three completed the fellowship programme and one out of the four completed PhD and another is in the final stage of completion. Since then I did not pursue the training component of my responsibility.
Now I have started preparing for retiring from my formal responsibility in this discipline.
As I looked at all the pictures of the birds just as they are, I felt good that it was possible to reach thus far in tracking birds and persist with that interest.
I feel good that I was guided into Developmental Medicine while I was pursuing training in Paediatric cardiology. I feel good that with no formal recognition of this specialty until 1997, I was sustained by steadfast support of friends such as Dr David Morley, Dr William Cutting, Dr Ramesh Venkatraman, Dr Ajay Sharma, Dr Diane Smythe and a host of others. I am overwhelmed by their friendships and mentorship.
I have been given much beyond what I aspired for.
Life is for living and learning. What was not possible contributed to stay on course.
These birds come and go. It is not possible to be possessive of them. Life experiences are a means to stay grateful and pursue the journey! Live holding on to faith and hope and not life experiences, achievements or positions or recognition. They are transient and drop away like leaves in a tree.
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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