Possessing versus releasing!

The two squirrels were feeding, one in the feeding bowl and the other on the parapet below it.

The one on the parapet had consumed most of a banana and looked ready to get another from the feeding bowl. 

The squirrel feeding from the bowl moved the banana from the bowl to the table. That is what a squirrel would normally do while planning to carry the banana to the tree near to it, to continue feeding privately. 

But in its leap towards the tree, the squirrel left the banana behind !

 

It is a revealing experience about the feeding behaviour of the squirrel. They seem to possess the fruit and eat.  Most birds feed from the banana often sharing with other birds. 

A squirrel is fretful in its behaviour. It seems that fretfulness makes them less sociable. 

It occurred to me while watching this scene that behaviours are conditioned by attitude and developed habit. 

I remember a conversation with a visitor who told about the difficulties with a neighbour. Most of the matters were issues which could have been be negotiated and resolved. Instead of that, the person developed a complaining attitude which unsettled the relationship even more. 

I recall from my experiences with a few difficult relationships, how suspicion, fear or anger coloured the attitude and subsequently my behaviour. 

From that position to move to a plane of receiving others, the way I like them to receive me, is a journey of growing in a new consciousness of openness and consideration. 

The 'stages and steps' involved in increasing the awareness and consciousness provide the journey path to become a neighbour to others in attitude and behaviour!

'Possessing' is not the way but releasing is the way to find freedom in relationships. One becomes closed by wanting to possess and have one's own way. Being able to see others through their own optic is a liberating and releasing. 

I find this a deepening experience in understanding relationships !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)