The last four photos showing the butterfly and honey bees in the flowers brought an awareness about the stressful experience they go through to search widely for honey during the monsoon season. I presume they find it.
One agonising truth that was brought out during the recent national election in India was the huge number of people in rural areas who remain deprived of essential facilities for normal living. The hunger index in India is too disturbing even to mention it. And yet, that is not considered as an emergency. The stunting of children when they are underfed is a permanent deficit with which they grow up. I noticed a remark in the social media that the money spent on erecting neon light sign boards on the high ways to announce the swearing in ceremony of the prime minister, would have been enough to provide mid day meal for school children for one year!!
There is a maldistribution of resources and the government's mind set is to under estimate the silent needs of people. Hunger is a silent need.
As I watched the honey bees move between water soaked flowers, I knew that that they were not getting their usual supply of nectar!
The senior citizens are another community of silent sufferers in the rural areas, for want of nutritious meals. I got to know a little more about it, when a Panchayat member mentioned about the common kitchen they run to provide a mid day meal for them. Those who are less mobile get food delivered at home. Sometimes the elderly couples are ill to take care of themselves.
The plight of the honey bees during the monsoon brought to my memory the truth about hunger in the community affecting children and senior citizens.
There is one restaurant in our village which serves food packets free to those who are registered with them, once a day. The public can contribute towards the cost of it. I know of another effort to supply medicines to poor families.
In the garden of life, minimising the adversities of life is a social vocation.
During my forty five years of involvement with child development services, I had an experience of meeting with families, whose sorrow is resident in their lives, over the developmental limitations of their child.
Every time I have walk in the garden, what awakens me is this reality- flowers bring life to honey bees through nectar!
How much I share from what I have to bring life to others! This question rings within me! Anna took jack fruits to our neighbours yesterday. That gesture brought gladness! Th life within us gets nourished when we give and share!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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