Our garden for the last three weeks, when the rain was incessant, had an unusual phenomenon of birds gathering around our cottage. Anna suggested whether they were searching for food. That triggered us to fill the feeding bowl three to four times a day! It gave us an opportunity to observe a significant behaviour of the bird families.
The feeding from the bowl was most interesting to watch. There would be a few feeding at one time. They move out after a while and perch themselves in the trees close by, while other birds waiting for their tun in the trees would come to feed. This coming and going was an orderly behaviour of different species birds co-feeding.
Those who had their feed, engaged in loud bird calls, while perched in the trees, which brought more birds. To see about thirty to forty birds each day, mostly in the morning, mid day and evening was an unusual visual feast!
We left our bird house open with feed inside. But that did not attract birds.
The birds after their feed, calling out for other birds established their instinct to be mindful of others!
The avians are also jealous behaviourally and have a protective and possessive attitude towards their arial territory. But they transcended that habit when food was scarce during the rainy days.
A group of college students were engaged in distributing food packets in a rural area, close by to where we live, where migrant labourers live. Those daily wage earners did not have work for several days due to rain. What a commendable act on the part of those college students!
While Israel intensified its war on its neighbours and pursue an annihilative attitude, the birds and the college students reveal what is originally a human calling, 'love your neighbour as yourself'!
This is hope giving! There is still a mindful consciousness, leavening human behaviour, with sound examples of living beyond self interest!
I noticed a person carry two umbrellas in his bag, on his way to his work place. When I enquired about having two umbrellas, he mentioned that, 'there may be someone who would need it in my work place'!
To me this is the message, that Jesus of Nazareth proclaimed, 'You are the light of the world'!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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