A Red Pierrot butterfly, not so common in our garden was on a Dianthus flower in our courtyard! It moved on the surface of the flower till it gathered the nectar it was searching for!

It was an accidental discovery in the morning! This activity was so quiet that it escapes our attention often. When one notices such quiet and elegant behaviour of a butterfly, one gets reminded of the innumerable events in the garden which direct us to ponder on the wonders in nature!

What surprised me was that even Daffney, beside whose kennel it was happening, noticed this and stayed quiet to watch this activity. The stillness of that moment for me and Daffney was a gift! A quiet presence of the Butterfly on a flower to receive its nectar!

The imageries that we find the book of Psalms in the Old Testament section of the Bible have this dimension- resting quietly in the stillness of God to receive the strength of His presence in our interior self!

The effortful or stressful living versus this still and restful way o living!

How can this be possible when the world has turned so violent! Russia besieging Ukrainian capital, political parties who won recent state elections in India organising road shows with pomp and extravagance, thousands still suffering the devastation caused by the economic devastation following the lockdowns of the COVID pandemic, the fuel prices threatening to go higher...

Yes, the turbulence of our times is a pointer towards a totalitarian declaration of authority and control that would displace democracy and human brotherhood. We in India decay under the religious majoritarianism which justifies the ruling party to envisage moving towards establishing a religious state!

Human brotherhood versus fragmenting the society on the basis of religion or territorial ambition or supremacy by military might...!

To me the butterfly came as a gift to the flower topollinafe it and the flower offered its yield of nectar, both happening quietly for mutual wellness !

Mutual regard to promote each other's wellness !

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)