Birdsongs in a quiet morning!

There are some birds in our garden who make the morning resound with their birdsongs and  fly between trees to ascertain their territorial right. 

I like watching them because, they make other birds to join in this morning ritual. 

Some of the birds come close to our cottage and make it hie habit to visit all the trees and shrubs almost every day. 

And yet each morning is different. Yesterday, I sighted an Oriole and a Bee eater, who too joined in the flight movements. The usually resident birds seemed unsettled by this. There was a cacophony for a while. 

Threat and fear are expressed in this way. The avians also have their own existential challenges. 

Fear is both physiological and pathological. 

Of late, I get up at some nights and take longer time to go back to sleep. There is a regular stream of announcements about the vulnerability of the senior citizens to COVID 19 in the media. That is sometimes done in a frightening way, by quoting statistics of senior citizens in some places, in intensive care. 

Facts can be presented to create awareness. They can also be used to create fear. I feel sorry that the media use the latter path often. 

I have felt that the sobering and caring voices are sparse at a time such as this. 

I used to send a letter out to some friends in mission hospitals and to my colleagues in the department until recently, in the hope that by reminding ourselves of each other, we create a consciousness of nearness and hope. 

Even in the address of the Prime Minister to the nation a few days ago, the language used was fear and danger! Oh, that we would be messengers of peace and goodwill!

When normal social life is dislocated, naturally there is isolation and insular living. We need to hear from each other words of comfort and encouragement!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)