A day after the new ministers of the government of India were sworn in, I was engrossed in reading the news in the morning news paper, when I heard some birdsongs outside in the garden.
I was in the parlour of the guest house of the Bangalore Baptist Hospital. As I went out into the garden, I was greeted by different birds who had occupied the barbed wire fence of the compound engaged in flying between the fence and the shrubs nearby. After this hectic activity few birds settled down after a while. I noticed these three birds settling down to sing.
The morning songs are bird calls. The birds claim the territorial right through the morning songs. But when the morning songs come from the male birds, it is also meant for other birds of the same species for pairing.
On such occasions the birds sing tunefully, perseveringly and diligently!
Although I did not notice other birds arriving in response to their birdsongs, I was aware that there was some bird movements in the shrubs close by.
These birds are left to fend for themselves.
I got interrupted by a telephone call which I could not avoid and I had to leave the scene for a few minutes lest, I disturbed the quietness of the garden.
When I returned, a squirrel was on the barbed wire fence and an eagle with its watchful eyes on the adjacent coconut palm!
The birds vacated the space in fear!
The silence since then made me feel for the birds who felt displaced from their rightful place. The eagle and the squirrel too have access to the garden. But theirs was a frightening present for the avians.
As I walked away to go to the hospital for the morning meeting, this thought lingered on in mind- sobering or frightening presence!
A teachers's presence in the class room can be sobering and enlivening for the children or it can make children fearful and anxious!
Parents can make children feel at ease and restful or make them feel unsettled and stress prone.
It helped me to reflect about my behaviour and responses!
Jesus of Nazareth lived incarnationally and no imposingly!
To be immersed in the situation of others emotionally, socially and relationally is spirit of incarnational presence!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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