11 May, 2024

Soulful living!














The garden around our cottage had a festive look yesterday after the rain fall early in the morning. The flowers and fruits looked ornamental with water drops decorating them. 

For a few days the garden had only few avian visitors. The bird calls were infrequent. 

The Magpie robin celebrated the festivity with its tuneful and long bird calls. It turned in different directions while calling. 

When I walked in our garden, I felt the cool of the morning, The ground was wet. The grass looked smeared with water drops. Water drops were dripping from leaves. 

It was after three weeks of dry, hot and humid weather condition, the rain brought a respite, which gave a refreshing look all around in the garden. 

I turned inward during this walk. The three weeks of the dry spell was also a time of inner disturbances. There was an alarm caused by an unusual finding in the tests I had to do as part of the annual medical check up. This got clarified as normal later. I found the wedding ring misplaced from where I had kept, when I removed it for an X-ray of the palms. It was trapped in a pouch in the bag, which I found after searching for long time. Daphne needed attention with a swelling on her body. Our domestic helper lost her sister to a sudden illness. 

Although I felt the traction to dwell on the above matters, I felt revived by some experiences that brought cheer and hope. Anna is in the completing stage of the annual accounts of ASHIRVAD, which she would have normally finalised only by July or August. It was difficult in the previous years to irrigate the property in the summer months due to shortage of water. But we had copious water supply from the well this year. The domestic helper who was struggling with his alcohol dependency is moving out of his habit, although he is yet to be dry! We have had good news from our children and their families. Anna and I have had a steady and meaningful transition after our retirement from our professional work. We find our involvements inspiring enough to look forward to the coming years. 

I walked back from the garden with a renewed view of our lives and circumstances. I felt that the sight of plants, flowers and fruits soaked in the rain refreshed me enough that I was guided to experience the goodness flooding our lives. 

Life is a journey through the maize of events to experience the contentment that fills our soul, when we turn inward! The soulful living is an experience of finding the light within,  which shall illumine the optic, to view all experiences as formative.

Andrew, who received five loaves and two fish from a boy, brought them to Jesus of Nazareth, to feed the five thousand, who had gathered to listen to Jesus. Andrew saw that food sufficient enough, while giving to Jesus, who multiplied and provided enough to feed the people, They gathered the left over in twelve baskets. That optic of Andrew is a surprising orientation. Andrew was content with what he could find and saw in it a possibility beyond the ordinary!

We can live strivingly wanting more, not being content with what we have been given or live restfully, content with what is given!

The plants, flowers and fruits received the rain for a short while and looked refreshed! I pondered over this phenomenon. 

What is given is plenty and overflowing. To receive those experiences gratefully is a way to live in the plane of contentment!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

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