The summer flowers in our garden create a different look than what we are used during the rest of the year. The flowers above have a distinct and elegant look without feeling subdued by other flowers!
We encounter seasons in our lives. According to Eric Erickson, there are eight stages of psycho-social development in life from infancy to late adulthood. Each stage is described functionally by Erickson by its dominant feature.
The middle adulthood from forty years to sixty to sixty five years is a season of generativity versus stagnation, during which time 'adults find ways to contribute to society and leave a legacy, developing care and sense of purpose'.
I found this description fascinating and inspiring! About twenty five years of one''s life is a time to live mindfully of others.
As an expression of this mindfulness, I send out about fifty messages in the first week of every month to those whom I want to remember during that month. There are some who are regular in this list and some are new. As I do this, I take time to remember one act of kindness that I received from them and mention that in my message.
I pause to ask this question to myself!
How have I become who I am now in my life?
One instance comes to my mind. During the COVID season when regular clinical work was considerably reduced, a colleague offered to help to publish the different protocols used in developmental monitoring for the benefit of parents and professionals. That was what was in my mind for a few years from the time we evolved home based developmental monitoring of children which parents can practice. But that evaded attention amidst other regular work. That offer of compiling the protocols and updating them led to two publications which are currently available for parents.
The generativity of mid adult life was possible because another person offered to let express itself.
I remember how the plants above thrive in summer. It is because the gardener irrigates the land during the summer months, de-weed the garden and put manure regularly!
The potential to be effective is within all of us; we need facilitators to let that happen.
So life is a joint mission, when there is an interface of readiness and support from others around.
Others make our life bear fruits!
We owe a lot to others. Being grateful springs from an attitude of humility and recognition of other's acts of kindness in our lives!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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