"For what does a man get in all his labouring and in his striving with which he labours under the sun?. Because all his days his task is painful, and grievous even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity. There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself, that his labour is good. This also, I have seen, that it is from the hand of the Lord" Ecclesiastes 2:22-24).
The above text is from one of the wisdom books of the Old Testament in the Bible.
This passage crossed my mind yesterday, when a migrant labourer who was helping to build the broken wall suddenly sat and down in a state of anguish. He seems to have had a telephonic conversation with someone shortly before this. When I was called to help in the situation, I waited for a while when he was ready to talk. He is married for a year now. He misses his wife. As he came to work to a distant place, his wife is angry and is in anguish. For this migrant labourer the income from daily work is the only source to sustain his parents and a younger sibling who is still studying. Most migrant workers come alone leaving the family behind.
It was while listening to this migrant worker, I came closer to the striving associated with work, living and demands of a home! It was easier for migrant workers to get jobs almost every day earlier. With the economic recession, it is stressful as jobs are not easy to find!
I happened to be in a hypermarket a few days ago. The movement of people engaged in buying, conversing, eating, and pursuing fun activities engaged me. Most people conveyed a hectic pace to have an experience of the multiple activities for fun and leisure!
The extremes of situations caught my attention. Those who struggle to find a job to sustain oneself and those who earn enough to allow indulgent living!
Those who struggle to find jobs and those who have assured income have one thing in common. The state of wellness within!
From the way people engaged in pursuit of 'more' of pleasure and leisure, I wondered whether they too carry stress within that push them to unwind!
It is in this context, the wisdom literature from the Bible quoted above comes home with a message. ' There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself, that his labour is good'.
This is a contrast to the pursuit of abundance or indulgence! The ants who gather food to store for the dry season do it for themselves and for others. They include caring for others as a normal attitude!
For me to come to a state of mind that 'labour is good' independent of its outcome or personal gain is still a journey in inner readiness.
To be able to regard work as a pleasant occupation and to feel engaged in itself is a gain, to feel needed and valued. A daily wage earner would not have that sense of value added to his or her life if unengaged!
As these thoughts criss crossed my mind, I noticed the lily below dancing in the gentle breeze and looking radiant in the afternoon sun. It is a flower which shall fade away in a few days.
What is given is all that we have! We strive to have more or go after chasing more of the same to find satiety!
The rose bush in the first photo brought a message of comfort to me. A plant is most vulnerable more so in a dry climate. The rose bush would not survive unless it can draw moisture from the soil and receive sun rays during the day. Most bushes receive both of these.
From the anxiety of living, the movement is to be towards living with what is possible!
The daily wage earner above drowns his anxiety by smoking heavily, drinking alcohol and through other acts of self gratification.
The largest consumption of alcohol in the year in the state of Kerala was between the Christmas and new year! Alcohol has become therapeutic to ease stress!
The wisdom literature invites me to delight in the labour that we are engaged in and find it as good!
This is the state of contentment against the drivenness of gratification!
I noticed this plant quietly present in its pot, giving flowers almost everyday for a few weeks now. It gives its flowers from its wellness!
The wellness in daily living becomes an experience, when a person can tell himself or herself, 'labour is good' independent of returns or gains!
This gift of consciousness comes to us, 'from the hand of God'.
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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