Foliage, Flowers, Fruits!

On a walk, I usually look for birds in the foliage of trees. Most birds find their protected and safe place in the foliage of trees. Most of birds make their nest in the trees. Their lives are closely linked to trees. They flock where there are trees. 

Most birds are nectar crazy. They find flowers and feed on them. 

They look for fruits where ever they can find. 

I connect birds with Foliage, Flowers and fruits. 

Birds look for foliage during their flight path and stop at different stations for their in between time.  

Birds find flowers for their feed and turn them into opportunities to stay connected with other feathered friends. 

Birds live in gardens where they can find fruits in all seasons. 

I remember the time when I took the above photos! These trees were on my regular route while taking the morning walk. At day break, I found birds around flowers. I got a sense of community the birds practice as in most instances, I often found more than one bird gathered around the flowers. The way they become  present to each other conveys their hospitable nature! 

I have reflected on this recently! What is the essence of friendship!

Do I turn to friends when I have a need or do I stay in touch with to convey affection and regards!

I realised that I stayed away from friends for a while now, as I lived preoccupied with the work life demands. Often I returned home with little interior space to carry forward my thoughts towards friends. 

Friends provide what trees provide to birds, foliage,  flowers and fruits. To me foliage is a symbol of protection, safety and belonging. Flowers symbolise happy occasions shared between friends. Fruits symbolise the acts of kindness and tokens of appreciation shared between friends. We feel enlarged when we are in a listening and feeling mode towards our friends. The gift of listening and thoughtful responses shared during conversations make friendship an enabling experience to make living a fulfilling exploration!

I feel renewed within as I look at the two photos above,  where birds stay present to each other in an intimate orientation! 

That encourages me to start  reconnecting with friends. 

The last photo of a Bulbul in our garden, arriving where a fruit is ready for its food, became a sign to me of the way birds are provided for!

As I prepare to enter into the retirement phase of life, it is refreshing to have such sights to bring hope and assurance of provisions waiting along the way!

With both domestic helpers currently undergoing treatment for different ailments and not being available for a while, Anna and I wondered how it shall be for us! 

Such times of disturbances or dislocations are also times, when God of our lives will hope- fully  carry us, as mentioned in the famous poem, 'Foot Prints'!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)