Welcome 2020

I found this sunbird in its usual site in three different body postures.

One posture was looking upwards which it did often during that five minutes transit halt in its flight path. Looking upward might mean many things for a bird. But I was reminded of the meditation of  a Psalmist in a Psalm in the Old Testament of the Bible, 'I will lift up eyes to the mountains from whence shall my help come from?'! (Psalm.121:1)  It is an affirmation of strength, guidance and provision coming from beyond ourselves. There is a reality beyond the visible and tangible of a God, in 'whom we live, move and have our being'!  It is that consciousness and acceptance that stills human soul and revives hope. 

The second picture is of the bird looking forward. It is discerning its flight path! A movement forward  is  a sign of readiness for a mission. There is a call that moves our lives into actions of service and benevolence. We live relationally and others become our mission. The abiding human goodness spreads the message of goodwill towards all. We live well only when others are our focus of attention. We are destined to be people with sympathy(feeling with ) and empathy (feeling into). It is when we live open to others and their situations we actually live out our vocation. So looking forward also would mean moving beyond ourselves and longing for ourselves. 

The third picture is the bird looking around. It is the surrounding that gives the bird an appraisal of its setting. Looking around is one way of ascertaining the journey course. Every move in life is conditioned by the happenings all around us.  What we see and feel become a reason for our responses. Our context speaks to us and being fully present to that context is therefore the starting point for responsible presence and responses. 

This  bird, tiny as it is, is left to the uncertainties of all sorts. But the body language it conveys is one of being in charge by planning its course for the rest of the day.  How it starts the day makes  the difference for the rest of the day.

Begin 2020 well and the year would unfold its mysteries and opportunities. 

There are more people in need today than ever before because we are driven people by acquisitive passion and success drivenness.  The pace is faster and living is stressful. 

We live among people who seek for a friend, companion or a confidant. I want to offer to be one!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)