One avian behaviour I observe with interest is that of the Bulbuls who are the regular visitors to our garden. Their flight movements in the mornings start from thier regular stations. The cable in our courtyard is one such place I find them often!
The photographs above are just a few of the different body languages they conveyed during their presence in that station for fifteen minutes.
They communicate in their behaviour awareness, acceptance and avoidance.
Awareness: We exist socially, relationally and reactively! The inner response to every situation springs from the sense of what happens around us. The awareness can be fragmented, distorted or wholistic dependent on our optic. I remember how professor Malathi Jadhav started her ward rounds in the children's ward in the morning. She having greeted everyone present, would turn to every member of the team enquiring about each of them asking details, related to each person that she remembered. She would enquire about the support staff like the ward boys and cleaning staff, who were not present there. Before starting with the details of the child admitted, this enquiry about others in the caring team brought an awareness that we are a health care team, working together. Dr Malathi would say something about herself as well to create an ambience of that togetherness.
Acceptance: When more people moved to stay in our locality in the nineteen seventies, the access to their homes was only a foot path. I remember hearing my parents saying to the neighbours that they were willing to give enough land to create a road. This involved giving six feet over a stretch of about three hundred feet. This would divide our property in to two. The land had to be protected by erecting walls on both side of the road, which my parents did on their own. When I stand watching the movement of vehicles and pedestrians along the road, my thoughts go back to that time when my parents were willing to be thoughtful towards others and their need. I saw that as a response of acceptance of others and their needs arising from an attitude of openness to help.
Avoidance: Sister Mary Theodore, the founder of MITHRA, a residential school for children with developmental challenges in Anna nagar, Chennai was given a land to build facilities in a property given by the government. Ten years after building the facility, the new government wanted to take back part of the property! The revenue officials came to take possession of the land. The advice given to her was to approach the court to protect the property. She avoided that route. She used representation and negotiation. She offered to give land enough to broaden the road, as a residential locality had developed adjacent to the centre. Although this process took three years, she persisted with an approach to negotiate. The government withdrew from an aggressive approach. I watched this process between 1988 and 1991. Sister Theodore remained friendly and open in the midst of provocations.
I realise that awareness of the situation that we are part of, acceptance of genuine needs of others and avoiding confrontational approach are normal humane responses in every situation.
The Bulbuls above have a different day to encounter each morning! They become ready for the day by a watchful and vigilant approach.
Life is a a gift to live and learn from!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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