Angling from a busy bridge.

I stopped on my way back from Calicut two days back, to watch few men angling from a bridge with fast moving traffic on both directions. 

One of them had just caught a fish when I arrived at the spot. It was the first catch of the afternoon, after having been there for about an  hour.  

The last occasion I went for an angling expedition was twenty five years back, with Arpit and Anandit  and Anna's father. We returned with no catch at that time. So it was refreshing to watch these men patiently wait with their angling thread in the water below the bridge. They innovated by attaching a lead weight to the thread at the end, to help the thread reach the water surface by gravity,when they dropped it into the water form the bridge.

What made this meeting special was what, one of them said to me. 'I do not catch enough fish for a meal, but I still do it because it gives me time to relax and be in the nature's lap for couple of hours. I return home with peace whether I had a catch or not.'

Those words held my attention while driving back. These men were standing on the bridge that overlooked this scenic sight, with birds flying over to dip into the water to catch fish, fish diving on the water surface and the evening sun making the water glitter with its rays. What a sight it was to behold!

What fascinated me was that there are  some who admire nature's bounty and find time  to take in its insights and revelation. 

We live in  a driven society and we  seem to invest on what brings us return materially and financially. 

Four our soul to be alive to the realities of love, truth, peace and goodness, we need to create space and opportunity for its nurture. It is this Jesus referred to, when he said to his faithful followers, 'come away to a quiet place and rest for awhile'.

M.C. Mathew (text and photo)