The Way !

At the older hour of bird movements in the morning in our garden,  I get to watch soem ice lessons which humans would benefit for. 

A wood pecker was on its usual place to relish feeding on white ants. Usually, having found its feed, the wood pecker gives out a loud bird call. Often its pair would join for sharing the feed. It was the loud bird call that alerted me of the presence of the wood pecker on the coconut palm in our front garden. 

As it was climbing the palm feeding in between, a squirrel was coming down feeding on the white ants and other insects. Th four photos of them, meeting and each continuing its upward and downward path, accepting each other's presence, amazed me. 

I was in the garden after reading the news of the ongoing violence between communities in Manipur. The stories of atrocities and violent behaviour are shocking and heart rending. 

Against that background of what was going on for two months with no decisive action to pacify the communities by the state government or the central government, to see a squirrelled wood pecker demonstrating an attitude of acceptance and behaviour of offering space to each other brought much comfort. Both were feeding on the white ants and insects. That  did not turn them to be competitive or hostile. 

I hear the acrimonious call of the former president of the USA against the current president of the USA in his television interviews. I come across the hostile and humiliating words of the Prime Minister of India against the opposition parties. I hear some opposition party leaders calling names to denigrate the Prime Minister. In the prime time debates in the television, I look for friendly and charitable debates, but what I hear is hateful and provocative attitude and behaviour, so much so, it is no longer news or information but verbal fire to hurt and wound. Our political space is reduced to promote confrontation in attitude and behaviour. I find this disregard for others and their points of views, permeating into church meetings, work places and families.  

I find a wood pecker and a squirrel, giving space and consideration to each our. The animal instinct is to be suspicious and aggressive. But I found the opposite. The commendable human behaviour is well illustrated in the parable that Jesus of Nazareth spoke about the Good Samaritan!

The funeral procession of late Mr Oommen Chandy, a former Chief Minister of Kerala, covered a distance of 150 kilometres in 28 hours, as thousands gathered around the funeral carriage making it move at snail's pace. He was known to be 'kind to all with malice towards none'! There are hundreds who come to visit the tomb with flowers and candles every day, where he was laid to rest! His memory is a an aroma of goodwill and abundant kindness.  

I hope the message from this self giving example of a man, who was made to suffer in a cloud of suspicion about his personal integrity, lived beyond anger, hatred and self defence and yielded his life in the vocation of serving and taking sides of those in in distress! 

Will it speak to our leaders in the central government in New Delhi to act promptly and decisively, when the state of Manipur is still burning after 80 days, with inhuman crime committed against men and women, murder, parading women naked and molesting them, houses and worship places burned down, children denied schooling.....! Is the ruling party taking a political advantage of the situation as if it is sponsoring the mindless behaviour of any one community formation! It is a time of despair and gaping wounds in our psyche!

The life and legacy of Mr Oommen Chandy is a sign of hope in a cloudy horizon!

Looking back over my former sixty five years,  since I started my training as a medical student, the memories that fill me are overwhelmingly happy recollections of working collaboratively and cordially. There were a few exceptions. 

Life is a journey into learning to live, love and leaven!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)