A fruit becomes edible !

From the photos above of the same bunches of Rambutan, taken serially  over a period of 45 days. I observed two insightful informations. 

First the Rambutan fruits are less now in the final stage of ripening. Many fell off due to unfavourable rain, probably too much rain too relay. 

Second, the fruits are changing colour to indicate the ripening process for  them to be edible.  

A fruit is worth relishing only when it is edible. 

The becoming of a fruit to be edible is conditioned by many environmental and intrinsic factors. 

I tasted the fruits every week on the same day of the week and felt how the fruit turned from being bitter to a sweet flavour this week. There is a difference in the flavour even between those fruits that are yellow and red. The red ones are not yet in the final stage of being edible. Only when they turn to be brick red, a fruit is fully ripe to eat. 

This thought about the process of becoming an edible fruit stayed with me. 

A teenage boy who was often quarrelsome with his older sister made a confession to  me recently. 'My sister got more attention than I got from my parents'. He reacted to his sister  out of envy. While talking to his parents I realised that the boy had difficulties at school and found it difficult to reconcile to the fact that his sister was happy in her school. The family took the suggestion of finding time with the boy alone  each day to have conversations. Two months after the parents taking turns to have conversation with him, they noticed him to be less reactive towards his sister and adjusting better at school. The process of becoming is conditioned by the attention we offer. The boy became more comfortable to relate to his sister when he himself received an affirmative support. I heard a few days ago that the sister and brother are pleasant to each other. 

A brother became a friend to his sister!

Who am I to others! 

A friend or a critic or a suspect or an adversary!

Who am I becoming!

Someone cordial for others to feel comfortable with me!

I heard a political leader talking respectfully of leaders in another party! He builds the narrative of his party and is not inclined to  demolish the image of leaders of the other party!

He is becoming truly human with mindfulness towards others. Such people bear fruits of kindness and thoughtfulness for others to flourish.

I have been becoming more aware recently, that the manner of speaking can make  others feel comfortable or unsettled!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)