Magpie Robin and Mongoose !

I stopped my brisk walk to listen to the song of the Magpie Robin and capture it singing. The male bird was most likely singing to attract a female for mating from the tone and regularity of its love song! Beneath the tree, I watched a movement across the road. It was a Mongoose on its prowl. It too stopped at the middle of the road as if to listen to the  bird. It moved further only after the bird paused. When the bore resumed to it stopped again! However this was interrupted by the arrival of a two wheeler on the road.

I continued my walk thinking about this reciprocity- singing and listening!  The Robin was singing away for its pleasure and the Mongoose paused  for the pleasure of listening!  

Do I listen for the pleasure of it! When a mother listens to her baby making the first intelligible sounds around four months, she waits and listens intently! When a baby makes the first speech like sounds by nine months or so, the parents listen  delightfully. When a baby utters the first word by twelve months or so, it is even more special. 

Speaking and listening are rhythmic reciprocal acts.

It is this which creates a communicating atmosphere and builds relationship. A child who visited me recently told me, that, ‘you have been talking to my parents for long. Now  talk to me. I have also something to tell you’. After the conversation with that child privately, I realised how keen he was to talk to me about his picnic to the beach, the previous week with his class at play school.

Most of us have to pause physically and mentally if we have to listen! It is in the pause we can welcome others and be relational!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)