The evening and the morning!

A recent visit to the beach about thirty five kilometres from our village left with me some impressions to which I have returned a few times in the last three weeks. 

Amidst the captivating sights of people beholding the sea embracing the beach in a calming way and the sun in the horizon going down for the day, there were few sights that were striking. 

An older boy reaching out to his sister, frightened by the turbulence of the water around him, while his younger sister appearing comfortable with water covering her up to her neck. The mother looked composed. What a contrasting sight! Three members of the family appearing water friendly and one indicating a stressful behaviour! Ours in our families are collective experience but with variable impact in our formative process. 

 

The second sight was the attempt of a girl to write and draw on the wet sand at the edge of water, although each wave erased her work as the water covered the sand. Her efforts to continue indicated her perseverance to be herself ! Not that she could stop the wave, but she seemed to resolve to engage her dream against the odds. That indeed is a sign of a resilient spirit!

The sky was turning crimson with the setting sun fading into the horizon, when the four visitors below, arrived to be part of the carnival 

at the beach. Having watched the sights and scenes around them, they too moved towards the edge of the water! They became like others engaging in an encounter with the occasion. I presume that they were religious sisters, who moved to be amidst others, sharing with them an ordinary event. They joined the families in the celebration of leisure and fun! They became part of others, although they normally live privately in their community. 

I presume a child would have left the sand castle below, allowing it to be carried away in the receding wave. Till then it remained as a sign of the enduring effort of a child. To give form to wet sand to stand erect without crumbling was no easy task. The protective base with an encircled water way around it was an imaginative creation. The protective cover to the castle caught my attention. It spoke to me of the wholesome awareness of a child about taking protective measures for safety and wellness! 

This photo below a few minutes before the sun faded away, was another engaging experience of the evening. With the sun fading away, darkness was about to set in, followed by sunrise 12 hours later to bring back the light! This rhythm of nature takes place each 24 hours. It is a message of hope. The darkness shall be followed by light.

The moral darkness is what seems to be a major issue of concern for sociologists and people watchers. The pervasive behaviour that we see around us can be disturbing. The darkness of human mind is almost eclipsing truth, love and peace!

The setting sun reminds us of the sunrise in the morning! That is a reality!

In the book authored by Ken Gibson, The giant who walked on Elephant hill, reflections on life and work of Dr Paul Brand,  a surgeon who spent his life time in restoring the functions of hands and feet of people who suffered deformation due to leprosy, there is a reference to the light that vanished the darkness. Let me quote from pages 2and 3:

" Paul Brand did not have a physically imposing stature. Less than average height, he did not stand out. Yet, he left a legacy that has radically transformed how the world sees leprosy. He waked among people who were broken and rejected by their family. their friends and their community. He chose to cradle their ulcerated feet on his knee, gently massaging the numbed limbs. He reached out to touch where others recoiled. His was an example that he learnt from Christ, whom he served. He walked with integrity, using Scripture as his guide. His love for the man, woman or child forged a new pathway in the treatment of leprosy, a pathway that was humane, kind and effective. His sharp mind and ingenuity developed surgery, still used today, which restores hands, once clawed and usefulness. His insatiable enquiring mind probed answers to questions that other medics had not even begun to ask. His sheer determination and ability to build networks produced a special type of sandal that continues to protect countless hundreds of thousands of feet from damage or amputation. Of course, he could not or did not do it on his own. He partnered with medical colleagues, staff members, patients and missions. Humble, he never saw his role as a doctor as powerful or elite. Instead, he chose to live a humble life, guided by Scripture and dedicated to demonstrating Christ's love, compassion and mercy to a harsh and hostile world"

The journey from darkness to light is the pathway for fullness of life! 

I returned from the beach thinking of the morning, that shall follow to have an opportunity to be engaged with others, to bring light into the life of others!

Each day is reminder of light and darkness. The sun rises each day to break the darkness!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)