It was in February 1975, Anna and I got married.
Anna and I spent one year at Christian Fellowship Hospital starting from February, 1976, from where we moved to Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram.
In February 1981, we felt moved to consider giving our professional attention to children with Neuro-developmental needs leading us to leaving CMC Vellore to formulate plans to initiate the formation of ASHIRVAD Christian Concern for Child Care.
Anna and I spent another year at the Christian Fellowship Hospital, Oddanchatram starting from February,1982. This time gave us clarity about beginning the Child Development Centre at Chennai in 1983.
In February 1997, the Child Development Centre relocated at the Christian Medical College, Vellore to start the Developmental Paediatrics Unit through a Memorandum of Understanding between CMC Vellore and ASHIRVAD. CMC Vellore was preparing at that time for its centenary year in 2000.
On 24th of February, 2022 it would be 25th year since the Developmental Paediatrics Unit started at CMC Vellore.
All the above events happened in ways that make us stay surprised! They were events that did not ordinarily occur to us; but were our responses to situations where a choice had to be made.
Looking back at these events of the February of the yesteryears, we get a glimpse of how our lives evolved after our marriage.
We were voyagers from one uncertainty to another, from the time of our marriage and were at cross roads on different occasions.
Forty seven years of our journey as co-pilgrims with some significant turning points in the history of our lives!
One turning point in our lives is the formation of ASHIRVAD, out of which came into being a a calling to live mindful of children, who feel disadvantaged developmentally!
When a family came visiting yesterday, on the first day of February 2022, with the two years old daughter, having a confluence of adverse events in her development, I felt moved to have been given a chance to be part of their tearful journey! Amidst their pain and sorrow, I found in them a resolve to do everything for their only child. They spoke of a turning point in their lives! They even spoke of their daughter as a messenger in their lives!
During the scanning of the photos recently taken, I came across this rose flower in our garden, where an ant was gathering its nectar.
What is life unless it is open to others for their nourishment!
Anna and I feel reminded of this vocation- live vicariously and mindfully!
While living this vocation, there are mixture of experiences, ups and downs, acceptance and rejections, approvals and disapprovals.
I remember noticing this pair of Bulbuls last week, amidst thick foliage in the corner of our garden, appearing partly visible in the twilight of the morning!
They both looked steadfastly focussed.
Another day was before them! They were present to each other and hidden from visibility!
For Anna and me February 2022 marks another year to live our calling!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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