A Sunday afternoon!

I noticed an unusual gathering of birds in our garden last Sunday afternoon. When I heard the bird movements and the cacophony I went out to watch the sight. The sky was becoming dusky in the east and a darkness was setting in. The bird songs of the morning and evenings are not similar. The bird songs are long and repetitive in the morning, where as in the evenings while approaching the dusk, they are short and only occasional. 

The afternoon bird songs were not like either of these. The birds were flying between flight stations. That is when I noticed that they were looking for places which did not swing wildly in the strong wind.  

There was a  message for me in this behaviour.

Th uncertainty or an unusual phenomenon in the nature does affect the birds, till they get adjusted to it. 

I had a taste of this yesterday.  I was getting ready for the on-line video consultation with parents and children yesterday. I had an unusual feeling of unsettlement at the beginning of it. I was warned by some that the signal for wireless internet might get dislocated in between, losing the audio or video link or both. This, instead of preparing me to be ready with another strategy, I was overcome with a stress level that I was not used to. The link failed after a few minutes during the first consultation. I completed the conversation with a telephone call, which sounds good enough for the family. 

What happens around us get reflected within! 

I have been conscious of the type of the inner ambience within me in the recent weeks ever since the COVID 19 has played havoc with human lives globally. 

And yet, I do not think that even fifty percent people wear masks, especially in rural areas. The physical distancing is a jargon oft repeated. What is often repeated looses its appeal. 

The birds settled down in safe places and did not prolong their reactive behaviour to the climate change. I watched these birds taking refuge under the shelter of thick foliage of tall trees when the downpour came. 

Those birds were my messengers of hope. I am often reminded of 'reverse quarantine' by well meaning friends because of my age during this season of COVID 19. I do practice this. 

Now the message is to practice it with ease and not stressfully or fearfully!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)