During this week when there is a lot of activity in connection with the World Environment Day, Anna and I wondered, how we too can join in, in the massive efforts globally to keep the environment life friendly for humans and all others who inhabit the earth.
The three properties that surround our cottage are occupied with shrubs and trees. The avians live or visit the garden. They feed on the fruits in the garden, so much so the bird feed corner we have in the courtyard is not frequented by them. Since there are two visiting cats to our property, the rodents in the ground have almost disappeared from the garden.
The competitive culture in nature is a phenomenon worth studying. It amounts to stability through mutual moderation or tolerance.
We initially planted fruit trees and flowering shrubs by scattering them. Now we find that they do not do well as they grow in the shades of the tall trees which restrain their growth. We need tall trees such as jackfruit trees or mango trees, but shrubs such as Rembutan or custard apple do not thrive well under shades of tall trees. Even pine apple saplings need open sky!
Each needs its space.
The political space in our country has been occupied by a nationalist party for five years and would do so for another five years or more. They are determined to arrest the growth of other parties, which they have succeeded partly. Th monolithic culture they advocate has spread to all walks of life.
The garden of ideas, thoughts, ideology, and ethos need variety for human diversity to prosper. It harms us in the long run when there is only one religious thought, economic ideology, life style, or view of humanity.
How we do we use others for 'our advantage' is a dominant thought in business circle, political landscape or corporate world!
If there is one thought that dominates my thinking as I view the anthropological evolution of human kind is that all humans are alike in the creative order, but different in their life pursuit!
The British celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary yesterday of subding the Germans by a massive arrival of the army, navy and airforces in the German soil. That was in the final leg of the end of the second world war!
Humans survived fighting each other. It is no different even today. The American president is still striving to build a wall at the Mexican border to prevent infiltration not the USA. If only we can learn to be collaborative rather than competitive!
The message of the environment day is : mutual acceptance and collaboration!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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