During my walk in a village, at sunrise, I noticed an elderly person walking on the road with staggering steps using a walking stick! He crossed the road at a bamboo grove! I wondered what was his destination.
I saw him walking towards the paddy field which was being harvested! He stood watching this. As I saw few people watching me with my camera, I did not proceed to take more pictures. What I saw was this man going near the partially harvested field and standing to watch the field with rapt attention.
I happened to enquire from those who were standing by as to whether that field where he went to visit belonged to him. Yes, it was the land he cultivated from his young days. Now his son cultivated the land. This man suffered form an illness about four months ago, which made his let side weak and since then he mo longer is active. Since his partial recovery, he was used to visiting the paddy field every morning. He was no more sociable and communicate although he has language skills. I wondered he was still grieving over his lost skills of being able to work and look after the crops!
On my return form this touching sight, I was drawn by some thoughts about the experiences in one's life. I felt for him. He was able to walk to the field, which he cultivated for about sixty years! He is taking time to bid farewell to his life experiences. Usually cultivating a field in a rural area was a community activity, each farmer helping each other. It was an experience of shared experiences where neighbours supported each other and cared to help.
I heard an incident in northern Kerala, where a neighbour offered to cultivate the land when the owner suffered an illness because of which he could no longer work. This neighbour by cultivating the land sustained for his friend, sustained the family of two children for three years till their son joined the family to take responsibility. Such stories of mindfulness and neighbourly attitude is common in rural areas.
For this elderly man, life would have been a journey of mixed experiences.
On another occasion while on a walk to the same village, I noticed this man sitting in his courtyard, lost in his won thoughts.
He lived his journey of life and bequeathed his heritage to his family. I thought that he is a living symbol of people, who laboured with their hands for a lifetime, to leave a blessing behind for their family. He lived with hope and purpose even when his mobility was restricted.
What caught my imagination was how he crossed the road as seen in the series pf photos above. He crossed slowly and mindfully across a road.
To live with such a sense of attention to life and living is a calling! He lives well and purposefully even when his abilities are declining. He lived facing and overcoming challenges in his life!
To live with hope and purpose is a blessing!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment