A distant view of life!

The London Underground trains are now vestibulised with an access from one end to the other! The look from one end to the other gives an impressive view of all that is in the train in all the fifteen compartments of the train. It is part of providing better access for passengers to find space as well as offering improved security under CCTV surveillance. 

It is seldom one has a distant view of life!

On the first day of the new decade in my life, I remembered a phrase in the hymn, 'Lead kindly Light...', 'I do mot ask for the distant scene, but step enough for me..'( pardon me for not quoting it exactly)!

What might be the distant scene of life! It is the transition from the temporal to the eternal!

However between now and then, se still need a view of life!

It is the rhythm of life that enables the distant view of life! Those who are ardent believers in exercise would argue that it provides longevity of life. Those who advocate vegetarianism would propose that it is the only way of overcoming life style diseases. Those who practice meditation highlight that to be the key to wellness! There might be truth in all these. 

I have in the recent months wondered, whether choosing to go beyond oneself can be a longer view of life! To transcend self and grow in mindfulness of all that is beyond oneself to me is becoming one large domain of living with a distant view of life! The rhythm of each day has to include awareness exercises to go beyond oneself. I find that I am a feeble starter in this journey of mindfulness beyond myself!

It is in the home, one can start this exercise of mindfulness. I reflected on the events of yesterday as to whether I lived relating to the whole family! I tried recalling acts of kindness or thoughtfulness which I have shown to others in the family! I did not have a list!

 I am even more aware that the distant view of life to me now is, to go beyond myself into the orbit of others, knowing, sensing and feeling their experiences in the journey of life ! This is a journey of incarnation!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)