Speaking mindful of the listener!

The Lily flowers receive the rain and the dew differently on their petals. The two photos above show how the water drops remain on the petals after a rain fall. 

The two photos below taken at day break show how the dew drops remain on the pearls differently from how the rain water drops are on the petals as in the above two photos. 

The two different ways the petals retain the water drops and dew drops have engaged me so much that I have many pictures of this contrast to get a clue about the difference. 

 

It was when I began looking at the rose bushes, I got to understand that  the rain drops fall forcefully as they are larger in size because of which most of water drain away from the leaves during the swaying of the petals. 

As the dew drops are smaller in size, they are lighter in weight. The dew drops remain absorbed to the surface of the leaves and petals of flowers. 

The dew drops fall gently and therefore stay in the leaves or flowers for longer time, till the morning sun dries them slowly. 

I remember exhortation of the writers of the epistles in the New Testament of the Bible. In Colossians 4.6, ' Let your speech be with grace, seasoned as it were with salt, so that you may know how to respond to each person'. In Titus 2:8, '..sound speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having noting bad to say about us'. In Ephesians 4:29, 'Let no unwholesome word proceed from your  mouth but only such a word as is good for the edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace in those who hear'.

These passages and few others call for modifying the way I speak! It makes sense now to consider that words spoken fall in the listener's ears differently. What is spoken gently, kindly and soberly would fall to touch and move the listener. When spoken harshly, arrogantly or angrily, they stir, disturb, or disorient a person. 

The way the flowers received the water drops and dew became a message to me about the manner of speaking!

I recall the words of Henry Nouwen, 'words can hurt as well as heal'. That is a message for further pondering. Our words and speech can edify and heal or hurt and disturb! 

Each of us keeps learning about life and living as we move in life! It was one such occasion for me!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

A little is a lot!

A Bulbul with a berry between its bills, in a garden with flowers and mango tree in blossom, was a special sight to watch. 

It brought an awareness about the 'finding' instinct of birds. Perched in a black pepper creeper, the Bulbul found a ripe pepper berry for its feed. 

There were no other fruits in the garden! It spotted a pepper creeper where there were few scattered berries hidden under the leaves after the harvesting! The Bulbuls are good investigators and finders. 

The garden with a few mango tress would soon have mangoes to feed the avian family. 

A garden is a home for birds because it feeds them at all seasons. 

The human family is a home for all to live and thrive! Although there are divisive forces in the political leadership of nations who speak a language of segregation and alienation, the human family is a fraternal place for every one. 

I got a sense of that when I observed how all forms of aids and provisions are rolling into Gaza, where people live unprotected, having   lost their houses, possessions, loved ones and means of livelihood. 

The Bulbul with a berry became a symbol of hope to me because, even in difficult times, there is an assurance of provision for those who are wounded and hurting!

I begin the day in this awareness of a giving God and caring people in the neighbourhood. 

It invites me to grow in a attitude of living mindful of others, who live deprived or denied!

This season is a time in human history when the language of love needs more manifestations through giving till it costs us!

 M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

 

Beyond the clouds!

 

The darkness in a late afternoon just before a heavy downpour! 

Although that was what was the obvious, the photos below show the reality of presence of two Magpie robins, one Heron, two Bulbuls and the flowers in the garden, invoking hope and peace!

What was surprising was seeing the two Bulbuls perched in our courtyard on the cable! It moved to find its shelter in the impending rain!

What the sights above particularly that of the Bulbuls brought the opposite of the darkness the clouds brought before the rainfall- a measure of expectancy and hope in their look! 

It is important to carry that as the message to live with, amidst the varying moods we encounter all around us. 

I noticed an alert look in their face as it was about to rain! They flew away to safety when it started to drizzle!

It was a lesson to hold n- these two realities in good tension- the dark clouds in the horizon and the vibrant enduring presence in such a situation.  

This is the way to make sense of troubled times. We are being formed through the events around us to grow in the habit of living patently, expectantly and hopefully!

A boy of seven years conveyed this attitude when, he chose to play with the ball in the courtyard as the summer sun was subdued by the clouds! 

He found his delight in his game and did not get affected by the impending rain or thundering!

The boy went back to his ball game after the rain fall, this time with another ball that can be comfortably used to play in a pool of water gathered in the courtyard. 

I hope I can trust that even the threatening clouds will turn out to  be showers of blessing !

The dark clouds are not the final event; there is fullness of life concealed in the clouds or in the darkness ! 

The flowers, birds and the boy conveyed it convincingly!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

 

A Bulbul at day break !

To feed on chilly is unusual ! This Bulbul did not visit the feeding station in the garden, unlike other birds. It seemed to relish the chilly. 

I happened to read that the Bulbuls do not have the spread of taste buds in the tongue and it can adapt to different tastes comfortably. 

It seemed to take small bites each time!

That held my attention !

The Barbet often  takes mouthful of feed. 

The Mynah birds also take only small helping each time.

The Voice of the current president of the  United States of America is one of threatening to 'consume.' and 'control'! He mentioned on different occasions of his interest to bring Canada, Greenland, Gaza, and Ukraine under its control. 

The consuming instinct is a personification of larger than view of oneself!

We are passing through a phase in human history, when the carnal instinct that Hitler pursued,  appears to return in another form but with a similar instinct to dominate and subdue!

The Bulbul bird is an example of living content and comfortable. Its food bowl is enough for itself and for other birds! It does not have to feed greedily or gregariously as if food supply is likely to be exhausted! 

I wish the advisors of the president of the USA would prompt him to remember the history of the USA ,as a giving country because of which it gave an economic booting to countries in Africa, Asia and Far East. In the desperation of the current president of the USA to make 'America great again', I wish all his supporters would remind him that America became great in the past by giving! Now the spirit that is conveyed is one of usurping and subduing other nations. To charge such a high tariff on goods imported from a neighbouring country like Canada is a design to disturb the economic stability of that nation. Does America become great by making others suffer!

I recall that the Good Samaritan was a minority among the two others who walked past the wounded person lying on the road side! He too was a traveller equally vulnerable to be attacked by robbers. But he  thought of the wounded person and brought life back to him by his self giving behaviour. 

The hope in this disturbing scene of affairs of nations, is the stand the European Union and Great Britain jointly took recently, to do everything to bring peace in Ukraine! 

Those who are wounded are our neighbours!

A senior surgeon of considerable reputation ended his life voluntarily yesterday at the age of 77 years, for having for inability to operate as  his hands shake following surgery for his spine, six months back. He  grieved for the loos of skill to operate. If this led him to depression and despair, he might have been a lonely man feeling low! He could not see a purpose worth living for! I wonder whether others sensed and responded to carry him through this valley experience!

It is another story of wounded people loosing hope!

The Bulbul living its rhythm and conveying the delight in its daily habit speaks to me! It lives peaceably because of its choice to be content. 

To live contently, one needs an inner anchor of consolation and hope! 

It rained heavily in our village yesterday. It was terribly hot during the day and the rain brought a cool night !

This is how life flourishes amidst variations!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

 

A giving garden!

The above photos at daybreak of two gardens I visited in the week end announce the transition from winter to spring and summer! The summer touch was dominant. The spring flowers were fewer. The blossoms in the mango tree announce the arrival of the summer. 

One garden was on a hillside at a higher altitude. It therefore still was only getting primed for summer months. 

A garden reveals thoughtfulness of those tending it, about their regard for nature and appreciation for the seasonal refreshing presence of the vegetation. 

The walk at sunrise in these two gardens gave me a feel about the life in the garden. The bees, butterflies, insects, rodents, reptiles, and birds, live because the garden offers the space and feed for them.  

The first photo of an old cycle transformed into a  plant museum piece highlighted the philosophy of recycling! 

The bottles hanging from trees with plants growing from them, was a sight that reflected the nature friendly attitude and practice!

As I was walking back, I found the dry leaf below, in the pavement, telling a story that would soon be forgotten, when that leaf would be gathered to put into the waste bin or compost. 

It was a leaf of a tree, once green and swaying in the air receiving its nutrition from the tree and supplying oxygen to the air. It might have protected the blossom in the tree or its fruit. It gave companionship to the other leaves in the branch of the tree. 

When its life in that role was over, it now takes another role of returning to the earth to continue the cycle of life. It becomes a source of nutrients in the soil. It becomes another source of nutrients for trees and plants, adding nutrients to the soil for more life to continue. 

During its life time, it received from the tree and offered oxygen to the air; in its departure from that role it would become a resource to the soil to preserve life on earth.

That leaf was in transition reminding me of the way of its living- receiving and giving!

The leaf received to give and not to possess, accumulate or hoard!

What a contrast from the way we hear the language of acquisitiveness and wealth creation in public places, usurping benefit and giving reservedly or conditionally!

I remembered the words of Jesus of Nazareth, "..freely you received, freely give.." (Matthew 10:8).

A day break walk offered me thoughts to dwell on during the day! 

It is about one leaf, which lived to give and at its departure yielding to give!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

A new life in the garden!

A Tit was in the garden yesterday, from where it moved to the courtyard and started gathering strands of hair from different places in the kennel and around ! The large mouthful of hair seemed to be for  making its nest. The way it moved about and strategically gathered the collection before it flew away to a tree close by and disappeared into the foliage gave me a strong indication that it was a pair in courtship. 

It was while looking around to spot the other pair, I noticed it perched in the neem tree, from which it had a good view of its pair gathering the material from the courtyard. 

The Tits are small and often confine themselves to small trees and bushes. It was therefore a special sight to have one of them close in sight, while gathering the materials for the nest. 

How delightful it is to watch the early stages of the family formation of birds ! 

I remember watching Bulbuls and Parakeets preparing their nest in our garden. Whenever I watch birds as a pair, I trace their flight location and movements to look for nesting activity !

I look forward to see more activities of this pair in the garden in the coming few days. I remember a birder mentioning that small birds hide their nest for fear of being attacked by big birds. So the nest might be hidden. 

A new life is about to emerge!

The plants and birds bring new life, which is why a garden is a sign of life and living! 

The flower below was the first one in this season from a rose bush planted a few months ago. 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)