A visit to the beach two days after Christmas 2024, brought s sense of being part of the cosmic expression of the joyfulness of the season. The earth, sea and the beach provided an evening of delight to those who congregated in family groups. There was something special for all those who were there, to be engaged in.
I confess that I felt drawn towards children on such occasions. As the sun was setting with the radiance of that hue of colours on the sky, few children on their own were designing their time at the Beach, while the birds were retreating to their shelters.
One older child was drawing her story of that moment on the sand, knowing that the next tide would wash away her design. In spite of the tidal water washing away her design on the sand, she continued dreaming and drawing her thoughts on the shifting sand! She knew what it was to persevere when the odds were against her!
A child younger than the above girl, was holding sand between his hands. I liked the way, he tired to gather sand more than his small handful grip can bring between his hands. He was determined and spent a good bit of his time doing this repetitively, till his mother lured him away with a ball to play. He hoped to gather between his hands what he envisioned for himself!
A third child, still younger to the two above, was looking into the wide canvas of space and people in front of her and taking small wavering steps forward. Her engaging look caught my attention. There was a resolve to look, walk, balance and communicate that delight in being herself! I might guess that she was a toddler, making surprising discoveries for herself amidst the space and events larger than what she can normally behold.
This to me, is the carnival of life ! Each person is occupied with pursuit of life! There is an intensely personal style and content to this pursuit!
Jesus of Nazareth was a person comfortable to engage individuals families, people in the synagogue, large numbers who came to hear and receive healing and gatherings of multitudes in gardens and beaches. He saw in each of them as aspiration and longing! He was even aware of their need for food that He on a few occasions fed thousands of people.
It was this person, Herod, Scribes, Pharisees and religious teachers wanted to get rid of, at different times in His life, from the time He was born!
I guess there might have been about couple of thousands of people in that part of the beach in that evening hour. Each person is an individual pursuing his or her life! They came together at the beach, because space beside a sea, is a symbol that people connect with. Between the beach and the horizon is the vast sea !
Is not this vastness between horizon and the beach a symbol of the long voyage in one's life!
We keep moving in our life, looking beyond!
Even a toddler had an expectant look on her face as she took faltering steps to move forward!
Jesus of Nazareth too began His journey as a child with a readiness to bring the good news of God's love in a graceful and compassionate way!
Jesus walked this way, showing us the way to live loving and caring!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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