During my three months of stay at the Christian Medical college, Vellore following my surgery, I developed an interest to follow the trial of birds who normally resided in the campus. There were four common sites where parakeets occupied the trees. By about mid November, I had begun to notice many getting paired.
The day before, Anna and I left the CMC campus in December, I noticed these two parakeets on this palm tree inspecting the hole in the trunk for its nesting. I found them returning to this site a few times and finally one of them getting into the hole.
As I watched this, I was glad to have observed the cycle of pairing, courtship, and preparation for nesting. The birds too have their rhythm and practice.
One thing that stays with me through this experience is the change in the bird song between the time the birds were singing to search for partners and after they chose the partners. Initially the song was that of the male bird and the females hardly sang. By the time the birds were courting each other, the songs were reciprocal although the females were poor singers. They sang to each other in turn for long periods during the day and this was indeed special to hear. I got up in the morning listening to this. They sang differently when they felt a threat or were romantic. They flew together and looked for food together. They searched for a home together.
These birds, tell us a lot about what is missing in some human families! What creates, sustains and nurtures family life is the way we spend time together in communication. Listening and giving heart responses are essential to upbuild.
I remember a senior colleague telling me about his habit of going for a walk with his wife, having lunch together at the work place and sitting in the garden together after supper. He considers them as the source of their intimacy.
The intimacy between husband and wife sets the standards for children for their future behaviour.
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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