Movement towards and away !

Anna gave me permission to stop on the road facing the paddy fields, while on our way to the hospital yesterday. I had spotted an Egret and a Heron. By the time I alighted from the car and got the camera ready to click, both of them took to their flight.  

The Egret flew towards us and crossed the road. So I just managed a photo in flight. I suspect it kept moving its head to both sides, as if it was hiding under the wings! It flew into the horizon soaring high into the sky.

The Heron, not the type that we usually find in our region, was likely to be a migrating bird. It flew away in the opposite direction. So I was left with its rear view! Its wings were elevated above the body as if the body was suspended by the wings. It flapped the wings and then rested the wings in between. It too vanished from my sight sooner than I thought. 

I watched a movement forward of two birds, one in my direction and another away from me! 

After resuming the driving,  this movement towards and away form me stayed with me to ponder. 

I recollected instances in my life when people moved towards me to care, help, support and show the way graciously.  Some of those movements were significant and defining in my life. I remember vividly how, Mr Arthur Pont, the director of the Bible Medical Missionary Fellowship (Now INTERSERVE) in Britain in 1984 invited me to visit different prayer groups in Britain. Some of them whom I met during that visit, stayed on in our lives as friends who have been formative in our lives. It was a joy for Anna and me to meet some of them along with Arthur, three years ago in Britain, in the INTERSERVE office to renew fellowship and acknowledge the joy of their friendship. Another person who kept accompanying us was Ms Prema Fenn for over thirty years. She reached out to support ASHIRVAD financially, unasked ! These and such other stories move us!   

There were also people who moved away from us during these years. We have had a lot to do with the Union of Evangelical Students of India, Evangelical Medical Fellowship of india, Christian Medical Fellowship in Kerala, etc, when we were younger. But friends from these groups and others have moved away from us for various reasons, the foremost reason being infrequent contacts.  Also, it is a fact that they have changed and we too! Some have moved away away due to the diffeeences in outlook and values in life; some due to stress in relationship. One person, a professional with whom I collaborated a lot in the early years, from the latter group sent me a conciliatory message two weeks back. It brought joy unspeakable. 

So these movements both ways are real experiences of life! 

Whether it is a movement towards us or away from us, it is good to recall the flight of the birds! They chose to come and they chose to fly away!

Let us consider all friendships similarly-give others the choice to be friendly or stay distant! That is the way we offer freedom to others to be themselves!

So both movements need to be gratefully remembered. That is how we create space for others without any bias, control or demand and remain open and cordial!

I am aware now that each of us has an emotional quotient of ‘relationship readiness’!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)