I see this sight often in front of our cottage. Few families living close to us have cows and goats. During the day they graze in the field. For the night they are provided grass, which is what this man was carrying home. He would do this almost everyday.
It is a lot that he carries on his because he cares for the cattle. In return the cows and goats provide milk and manure!
This a reciprocal behaviour. It is as much as the cattle is cared for the farmer receives the benefit.
We cannot be just receivers alone; we need to be providers also, which is the only way we keep the cycle of reciprocal behaviour at the heart of our relationships. Some of us are habitual ‘takers’ and some others ‘givers’. But life is lived fully only when we are both. However some prefer to ‘receive’ without wanting to take. There are some stories of such people that surprise because they fill their lives with contentment in whatever circumstances they are placed.
Yesterday an intern dropped in to say 'Hullo' while walking past the department. That refreshed me, because, it was an act of spontaneous kindness and thoughtfulness.
I find this experience as the way forward in a competitive and 'self absorbed' environment. Anna and I visited two of our friends during the week end, who have health challenges ahead of them. At the end of the visits, what stayed with us was a new awareness of their needs and challenges and a desire to keep them in our thoughts.
It is only as much we bring the needs of others to our consciousness that we grow up to be more humane!
By growing into be more humane is a way of redeeming our social dimension of humanity!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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