A garden has cluster of flowers, which is a delight to behold and meditate on! That experience brings recollections and images. The imagery of togetherness that dawned on me while watching these cluster of flowers.
The last two photos of children and adolescents in a cheerful disposition and enjoying being together, brought a similar feeling of togetherness that we can share with each other.
I have been carefully watching the behaviour of the Members of the Parliament of India currently in session in New Delhi. Both houses of the Parliament did not function smoothly in a civil manner, during the last two weeks since the winter session commenced.
The accusatory language, confrontal attitude and competitive spirit communicated between the members of the parliament in the ruling party and the opposition reached an all time low level. Surprisingly the Prime Minister of India did not visit either house of the parliament for the last ten days, although in New Delhi. I was looking to listen to a reconciliatory tone from someone to get a feel of the healthy discussion that can take place between mature parliamentarians.
Few women parliamentarians were an exception with sober and engaging presentation on matters that need attention.
The political discourse reaches such a low level when, partisan attitudes supersedes the humane outlook to matters that afflict the people in the lower rung of the population.
Whether it is the newly elected president of the USA or the Russian president or the Israeli prime minister, the language is authoritarian, divisive and imposing. The bilateralism in political science is vanishing.
I come back to the photos of the children and the adolescents above. On both occasions, I stood watching their behaviour, conversation, body language and communication intent from a distance. I felt moved seeing them being open to each other. Theirs was a demonstration of togetherness. It was spontaneous.
It is now eighteen months since I retired from my regular professional work. One practice I follow on most days is to send a friendly message on the phone to one or two people each day. Often there is a reply in words; sometimes it is only symbols chosen from the storage of the phone.
The language of upbuilding or affirming mutuality is what we need in our social and friendly communications.
This Bulbul above was the first bird to arrive in our garden ,the other day. It perched above the feeding station and kept chirping, looking in all directions. Its first instinct was not to fly to the feeding station to have private meal. Instead, it waited till other Bulbuls came to join in for the community feeding.
I feel challenged by the social habit of Bulbul birds. They transcend the selfish attitude and make an effort to send the message of wanting to be together even during the feeding time. They live practicing mindfulness towards others.
I wish during this season of Christmas others come to our orbit of thinking.
We live socially, in a connected manner; let that bring a sense of belonging and mindfulness towards each other!
Let me quote from the wisdom literature, Ecclesiastes 3: 11-14
"God made everything appropriate in its time, He has set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good in on's life time; moreover that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labour-it is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him".
What a calling to live soberly, righteously, and mindfully!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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