Walking between the edges!

 

I walked between the edges of our garden the other day and found all the above sights, a portrait of the real happenings in a garden. 

That initiated me into an inward walk in to the landscape of my interior .

I recalled joyful experiences of conversations with few families who resiliently faced the challenges of this difficult season. A family shared with me how seven members of her family suffered with COVD at the same time with three of them needing a prolonged stay in the hospital with oxygen dependency. 

Another conversation was about one family suffering from the recent storm and rain leading to their house collapsing, needing immediate repair for which the resources needed were far more than what they could afford. I felt reduced to travelling through a desert of anxiety and barrenness of ideas to comfort and support them !

Then came the recollection of a neighbourhood activity of of few parents to keep their children socially related. They have regular meetings and common activities with due precautions on account of COVID protocols. The message was one of great discovery of how a collaboration between families can make a difference to children. 

A few families slipped in to a sense of a loss. The trimmed trees in our garden reminded me of some families who found this time demanding and stressful. I have been in regular contact with two families who reminded me of the hope they entertain for the future. 

The sight of two single birds brought another dimension about life itself. They both looked ready to fly. In their look they conveyed peace about the future. I have been feeling heavy of heart over the crisis in Afghanistan. But who knows that it might be the beginning of a new nation! With that country having been in turmoil for over 25 years, we do not know anything about what is still left as their infrastructure and resources. Japan was similar after the Second World War. So there is some hope although the Taliban connection with China and Pakistan makes us wonder whether there is another sinister plan in their agenda!

The two single flowers made me feel glad, while I approached the other edge of the garden. They announced yet another ray of hope! 

The former president of the USA, Barak Obama during his first presidency campaign, often began his addresses talking about his difficult childhood, but underscored the confidence his parents gave to him to foresee a future of hope. 

Between the two edges of the garden, there are reminders of many pleasant and difficult experiences. But what remained within me to ponder on was the message of hope!

That got reinforced later in the day at work, when a colleague brought a flower to greet me! A flower is fragile, but its freshness and fragrance it brings is a sense of abundance. 

That sense of abundance is the message which the garden gave to me! I carry that with me although, like a flower it too shall fade away, till another inner revival takes place!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)