Life, Living, Learning - 13

 

I noticed the Tailor bird above, arriving in the Rambutan tree adjacent to the feeding station, where two Barbets were feeding at the feeding table. 

The Tailor bird made a vigilant observation of the setting around it and took a little while to feel secure in its perch. 

The tuneful singing started as long but subdued bird calls initially, which increased in its loudness and duration! Its tuneful singing became high pitched, which brought a Bulbul to the tree near to the Tailor bird. 

The Bulbul looked absorbed and turned its head in the direction of the Tailor bird calls. 

The next to arrive was a Sunbird, turning to listen to the Tailor bird !

 

A pair of Bulbuls too arrived to be perched in the tree. The tree turned into a place of congregation of birds, all listening  to the Tailor bird. 

One small bird, making the garden come alive with its bird calls, which engaged the attention of other birds!

The Tailor bird chose to be perched in a branch, which positioned  it to be heard all around. 

It's habit is singing.  It made no efforts to gather an audience!

What the Tailor bird offered was its tuneful presence!

I recall Rev. Eva Marie Koch who visited us at the Child Development Centre at Chennai in 1984 at a time when Anna and I were finding our way in our involvement in child development and rehabilitation demanding! She happened to visit us on a day when the street outside the centre was waterlogged due to rain. She waddled through ankle deep water and came to be with us for about an hour, listening to the story since we began in 1983. She heard us from her heart and seemed to feel for the additional facilities we needed to offer support for children and families. 

A few weeks later, having heard about us and what we were involved in, two teachers from a school, Ms Christiane Osburg and Ms Giesela Jahner contacted us form Berlin, enquiring how they can be involved to support the initiative. They involved children in the school and organised a bazar twice a year to sell handmade articles, the proceeds of which were sent to us to acquire more facilities for helping developmentally challenged children.  That support which they started to offer then, continues even today. 

Anna and I were involved at that time to pursue what seemed to be an opportunity to focus on developmentally challenged children! A few gathered around us to support and encourage. It was Dr A.K.Tharien of the Christian Fellowship Hospital at Oddanchatram who guided Rev. Koch to visit us at Chennai. 

Forty two years later, Anna and I feel touched and moved as we recall how just a few heard us and came forward  to respond to the needs of developmentally challenged children. 

The Tailor bird through its tuneful singing engaged other birds. The birds present in its vicinity gave it a reason to continue singing!

For Anna and I, we needed a few friends at that time to accompany and remember us in order to be able to pursue the service for children who were developmentally challenged. What transformed us to be steadfast in this pursuit was the way we were heard and received by a few friends at a time, when the Child Development initiative did not receive much attention generally. 

Now, we realise that there are many soloists singing their language of service to people in need. Anna and I feel that an opportunity is offered to us to listen to the needs and aspirations of such people and be in touch with them to feel with them. The people we are in touch with convey us a message that, doing good is effortful although fulfilling! The efforts can drain people and consume them to feel exhausted! To look for such people and be companions to them is an opportunity and a gift of love! 

The Tailor bird through its tuneful singing offered itself to other birds in the garden!

That was a timely message to us!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)