The story of one day!

 The four photos in this blog post represents four experiences of one day!

The first is a water Lily flower that greets all those who pass by, at the car park I use to park the car every day on arrival to the hospital. That flower is the symbol of greetings that I carry with me to pass it on to visitors and families I meet each day.

The second sight is that of a Mango tree with its fruits, visible  through the window in the room I occupy to welcome families who come with children having developmental needs. On several occasions I turn to this sight during the in between times to receive the gift of presence and promise. The mango tree is present promising ripe fruits! Its presence brings hope. 

The third photo is a sight of the sky from the porch of the college building at sunset when it was the twilight time before dusk. The dark appearance of the tree line and the bright appearance of the sky reminded me of two experiences. The day is over and it fades in to the background. The brightly lit sky is a call to return home with hope and aspiration for what would be still ahead!

On the way back home, in the well lit street light, I spotted an empty liquor bottle and the wrapper of a snack packet, beside the farm that was recently harvested! It is after this, I normally drive through the streets that have two pubs where I come across people coming in and going out of the pubs. Some of them taking their faltering steps to walk back home would be visible on either side of the road for some distance. They go back home drowning their consciousness in the effect of alcohol. They return home to bring dismay and discord to the household! They have traction towards alcohol, because they feel overwhelmed by the travails of life with little hope left for them to live aspirationally!

When I reach home, rather late these days due to the longer hours at work, I have this question upon my mind! After receiving the greetings of a flower, the gift of presence and promise of  a  mango tree, the invitation by the sky to look beyond to welcome the frontiers ahead, and the viewing the sight of swaying men walking back home burdened by the travails of life,  how am I closing the day!

The beginning and closure of the day are twilight seasons of the day. The awakening to the dawn of a day and the retreat to the silence of the night are special times of each day. The day is an invitation to be actively present outwardly and the night is an invitation to be inwardly present silently and meditatively!

I feel glad for the day and the night, together they make life wholesome and integrated!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)