The call in the wild !

It was the call of this Mina, above,  which interrupted the silence of a forested valley. It took a while before I was able to locate the origin of the call in the woods.  I was able to spot a Mina with my 400 mm Leica-Panasonic lens.

I observed the Mina for a while through the lens to see the body language of the bird,  with each word call. It moved its neck in all directions awaiting a response. The response did not come. It flew away and disappeared from the orbit of the lens.

John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus of Nazareth, who came to announce the mission and ministry of Jesus was the one who was known as the 'voice in the wilderness'!

This Mina's call reminded me of the Biblical narration of the John the Baptist. He lived in the wild, often in the desert, whom people sought after. His message was about 'repentance' and pointing to Jesus as the one who came to love and forgive! He lived alone and had a small following. 

I met a well trained and experienced Urologist recently, who live in a village and work in a small hospital. Having been trained in renal transplant, he for several years treats patients with ordinary illnesses and operates patients who need help. He told me that he missed opportunities to operate on urological conditions. But he was comfortable to live in the 'surgical wilderness'! His cheerfulness, sense of humour, mindfulness and courteous behaviour touched me. As I was leaving he gave me packet of soft drinks for my way. I went to meet him and his wife empty handed, but he sent me away with bagful of of goodies. 

It is then I sensed how 'living in the wilderness' transforms people with extraordinary kindness and helpfulness! He did not look disappointed or carry a complaining attitude!

A Mina had a lonely experience with no reciprocal bird call to listen to!

A surgeon lives in surgical wilderness, but communicates warmth and joyfulness !

I was touched by the effusive spirit of the surgeon who chose to live and work in a hospital, which did not give him enough opportunities to exercise his surgical skills. His joyfulness springs from living content and purposeful. Only while listening to him, I felt that it was worthwhile to visit him. There are others like him, who live their lives quietly and serve graciously. 

This was a reminder to me to look out for such people, who like the Mina look for a reciprocal bird call! Their good deeds need reciprocal recognition and affirmation!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)