I watched yesterday ten people passing through this semi-open gate in five minutes, almost managing to walk in and out by adjusting their body between the two partially open shutters of the gate. This gate is usually opened at 6 am and I arrived at this gate at 8.40 am. This is an access gate for people going to the canteen and to the ground floor of the building where the Library is located. I guess at least fifty people would have used that gate after it was opened in the morning.
I wondered why the gate was still only partially opened even though people had to slow down and walk in or out without being obstructed by the gate shutters which had just about two feet space between the two shutters !
I have watched this gate remain semi open like this on some days when I came at noon. This has intrigued me.
It was a comment from a person who saw me opening the shutters widely, which helped me to understand the mind set with which we go about in our daily life. ' We do not stop to to think about others'!
What an insightful observation!
In the healing story of Bartimaeus, a 'blind beggar', recorded in the Gospel of Mark 10: 46-52, there is a reference to people who stopped him from crying out for help, when he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
Regretfully, most of us live our lives preoccupied. We have only little space to think, see or hear other people. Our drivenness to live out our chosen purpose excludes consideration for others.
Most of yesterday, I had this recurrent thought staying with me. I welcome about fifteen families each day, five days of the week for consultation. How much I remain open to sense their spoken and unspoken needs to do something that can open their way to a greater access to live better and content!
Two visiting doctors who are involved in tutoring doctors, who are engaged in conducting contact classes for those in distance education in general practice, mentioned to me something striking. At the end of the three years of their training, they found the doctors receive a new perspective in clinical practice. They begin to look at work as an opportunity to help patients to find a purpose just beyond cure for their illness.
They shared with me how many have to struggle to go through life in adverse circumstances because, they are constrained by limitations. A doctor can help them to open their semi closed doors of opportunities by upbuilding their lives through thoughtful support and friendly care.
At the end of that conversation, I realised how we need 'sight' to see opportunities to make a difference for people. It is not enough that we charter our path for ourselves, but be thoughtful towards others who too have to walk through life. They have a narrow passage before them.
What is that I can do to make that passage wider and broader for many who are waiting for some one to make it happen !
There is another way of living-living mindfully of others!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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