I watched this Heron resting on a coconut palm, with a vigilant look, only to take its flight in the next few seconds. It was still dark and the dawn was just setting in!
All that I could see was the upper part of the body of the Heron when I noticed it on the coconut palm. I was not even sure if it was a native heron or a migrant one. When I down loaded and looked at the flight posture of this Heron, I thought that it hung its body between the flapping strength of its folded wings. It was too fast in its flight. As the camera was not on a continuous shooting mode, I could not track its sequence of movements during the take off and thereafter.
One thing was clear that it had a destination in mind, while taking off to its wings.
It was on 30th June 2012, Anna designed and prepared this blog for me to write and share my thoughts. It was the same year both of us started working in a new hospital, a first time experience of working in the state of Kerala. I returned to live in Kerala after forty years and Anna had to learn to live in Kerala for the first time.
Anna was wise to design this photo blog for me, as she thought that I would need an interactive platform, while facing a first time experience of working in a different professional culture!
I began writing on this blog, sharing different experiences that I was part of. From being a commentary, it gradually moved on to be a personal conversation with my inner self! In the recent years, it became confessional, biographical and exploratory in nature gradually changing into a photoblog! Most of my reflections were initiated by some captivating sights in nature! This helped me to move from regarding photography as a hobby to using the photos to be a source of learning and enlargement!
There are few followers and some regular visitors to this blog site. Some give feed back, which help me to sense the mood of those who read and the sense the blogs make!
It was while engaged in this confessional narration of personal life events, I began to learn more about self disclosure. Self disclosure is a way of personal de-briefing and public acceptance of acts of commissions and omission, essential for revising of life. I found this forum of writing for the blogspot, a way of sharing thoughts that germinate within.
The picture of the heron in flight, brought some insights about the reason why, this blog post series helped me in a significant way for integrating life events. The heron adapted its body to the flight requirements. Its advantage was the wide wings it had to fly. It faced a disadvantage of strong currents of air increasing the resistance to fly!
I have been through a few major life events in the recent years. I have had an overview about life and its calling since started working after retirement from CMC Vellore. What I faced in life were experiences, that were far from what I envisaged. Therefore, it was good to have had a forum, to write reflectively and openly in order to go beyond the superficial layers of beliefs, thoughts, patterns and constraints. I felt that the learning curve was to relate to others normally even when, there were difficulties, disagreements, and strained relationships. Although I have not overcome all the inhibitions, I felt a growing attitudinal transition to be thoughtful and welcoming of difficult experiences and regarding them as formative.
Let me summarise the experience of the last 11 years as a journey into life, when I was made ready to have intimate encounters with myself! During this process, it was necessary to write and reflect to check on the extent of influence of each experience. To go beyond living with impressions to an integrating experience, where others can become neighbours and companions in the journey of life, is indeed a good outcome of these four thousand blog posts.
The look of the heron inspires me. It had an intent to move. Its flight became a metaphor of freedom to go my way!
To all those who visit this blog, let me send you floral greetings as I complete the four thousand blogs in 11 years. Thank you!
You have contributed to my formative experience through your openness to read and give comments.
I look forward to sharing thoughts on Life, Living and Learning!
I still have a journey ahead of me, all being well. That journey can be along narrow roads in a difficult terrain. The good news that invites me to continue in hope and peace is the sunshine along the path.
Walk the way and the winding roads bring slower and steady pace to continue the journey!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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