Flowering is the way!

 

Every time a I notice a withering flower, a regretful feeling grips me. After a few days of being fresh and fragrant, it succumbs to its fragility. 

Often the buds that follow subsume that regret and brings me back to the message of tomorrow the plant brings. The plant shall flower again  all being well!

It is during this season, this message needs to be brought back to the centre of attention. 

The news of Myanmar attacking Bangladesh and militarily forcing its way to occupy the border, came as a shocking turn of events. The civil life in Myanmar is in disarray. The schools, colleges and professional institutions do not function, displacing students to go elsewhere to pursue their education. The parallel government in the rural areas takes care of the civil needs. When the normalcy of life does not exist the military government is forcing its way to Bangladesh, when that country is just recovering from a civil unrest. The territorial greed is a frightening attitude which has destroyed nations. The hostile relationships between countries is largely because of territorial disputes. 

It looks like, there are many who benefit from war- those who manufacture weapons and machines for war. They influence leaders to conflict for them to benefit in their manufacturing and marketing. 

While one rose flower withers and fades away, there are buds that would blossom1

The season of Christmas is about this message. The hope of peace, goodwill among people and loving orientation will not die! Hope sustains us to transcend fear and war!

In an oration which Dr Sowmya Swaminathan gave recently at the Christian Medical College, Vellore,  I sensed the hope which she has about the prospects of eradicating Tuberculosis. She spent over thirty years in her research work to achieve it. But it is still evasive. The gentle confidence and resolve to see this happen brought a message of hope which sustains her aspirations and efforts. 

The two Bulbuls at the evening time when it was turning dark were looking ahead to their shelter for the night. They flew away in to the hill side where they shall find thick foliage to stay protected for the night! That is their story for each night ! 

I realise that hope is real and not evasive. 

The stories of hope are moving to listen to.

A childless couple, who live by selling the snacks they sell in the market has enough to live on. Following a spinal surgery, the husband is unable to be mobile. He is wheel chair dependent. He comes in his motorised wheel chair to the market place twice in a day to sell the snacks his wife prepares. They have lived this way for fifteen years since the man became wheel chair bound. People come to meet him and return with cheer and inspiration he effuses. It is this hope and sense of wellness that he conveys which make his snacks popular! 

 The spirit within us gives us that hope. 

Anna and I visited a neighbour who has been widowed fifteen years ago. Before that her husband was on medication for depressive illness for a long time. In fact knowing that he was depressive she married him in the belief that she can bring cheer in his life. That man lost his mother at a young age and grew up without a stable home environment. The three daughters of their are happily married and they and the grand children give cheer and comfort to this gracious woman. At seventy three, she effuses cheerfulness and mindfulness. She finds her strength and guidance by reading the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth from the Bible. 

One can keep looking at the withering and fading flower or live in hope by seeing the buds about to blossom! 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)