Seeing the hidden buds!

The rose flower above in the first photo is an unedited version captured with an automatic mode in a Lumux camera with a 400 mm lens at day break in our garden. 

The second and third photos are after altering the exposure and brilliance with the editing software. 

Each photo gives different details. 

I played with the editing software to get different versions of the flower,  each giving a distinct version of the flower!

I listened to a friend yesterday about a stressful situation in an organisation that he has recently been requested to be involved in. I listened to the stressful situation in the organisation from five others in the recent weeks. They were versions of events, hurts, disruptions and disappointments. 

Listening to this friend yesterday brought another perspective as his  narration was all about finding the path ahead with a redeeming, restorative and renewal perspective. He saw an opportunity to find healing by moving forward rather than staying frozen in the details of what happened! 

I remember seeing activities on a rive bank to protect flooding of the land area on one side of river which is a residential area. The geological planning involved gently turning the direction of the river, de-silting the river bed and strengthening the embankment. The river flow is therefore regulated. 

I realised how the friend who shared his concerns about the situation in the organisation was finding a way forward by attending to facilitate the movement process by restoring  communicative, reconciliatory and upbuilding exercise. 

Too often relationships and communications remain disrupted for too long that they lead to dampen trust, cordiality and collaboration. 

The different shades of the same flower represent the perceptive differences which create unnecessary divisions  or polarisation.

The flooding by the river is attended to by restorative process to allow the river to flow normally!

I like the way this friend captured the heart of the restorative process with his eyes focussed on the future by exploring different ways to revive the journey forward by opening doors of possibilities for collaborative planning and action! He saw the narrow door and the corridor ahead while others whom I listened to seemed still submerged in  disappointment.

I realise that the intuitive sense with a prophetic optic is what often leads to revival and renewal in the direction of an organisation or an institution, when waylaid by difficulties and hurdles! 

It is such a voice of hope that most people look forward to, to trust in the future and embrace  the transition!

The flower above is in a bunch of hidden buds waiting to open! 

The visionary thinkers are those who see the hidden buds and not the flower alone!

Yesterday's conversation was such an encounter experience!

I read in Proverbs 11: 6 this text yesterday: ' Sow your seed in the morning, and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed or whether both of them alike will be good"

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

 

A family garden !

I noticed a children's play area mostly designed with bamboo constructions, getting transformed into an Exercise park for families in a hospital campus. It therefore has picnic spots, play areas for children and exercise areas for adults. I found this integrated approach interesting for three reasons. 

The hospital is actively prospering the mission of family times of leisure and togetherness. It is a message that there is another world beyond the closed door of a home where leisure times are mostly TV viewing times or indoor play times. 

The call to move and exercise across all ages in a family comes at a time when reduced mobility causes the body to suffer from  overweight, compromised exercise tolerance and activity deprivation.

Having a space created for an exercise park in a public space, which people pass by while going and returning from work is a statement of purpose, calling for interspersing work with a plan for self care. 

The three purposes of family times, call to move and self care are the statements that I picked up while walking around the Exercise park, yesterday morning. I noticed the director of the hospital early in the morning in the park engaging the workers and attending to the creation of the environment. 

I remember while engaged with couple of organisations during my mid life, this theme of wellness of the staff came up for dialogue.   The staff engaging in health care delivery for people coming to the hospital need attention to live in the wellness plane. At that time overweight, or stress affecting the body with an early onset of fatigue or non communicable diseases was not so pronounced as it is today! The Life Style Medicine Unit at Christian Medical College, Vellore is a trend setter to create this awareness even more. It started a regular weekly conversation with staff of the hospital on an on line mode to create a dialogue forum for wellness as a way of life. The post graduate on line diploma programme the unit offers to health care professionals is another direction to incorporate wellness as the ground from which all health care professional can live and function. 

A creche for children, a Gymnasium for adults, courts for games and sports, music room and indoor space for multiple uses are common in a hospital campus. 

The Exercise park for families is a step further in bringing the family unit into the centre of attention to promote wellness and upbuilding!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

A formative journey!

 

This pile of stones in a property facing a river fascinated me. The stones appear as if they were polished to look smooth in multiple of shapes. Each stone has its story of origin, movement, duration of having been in the river bed and offering a shelter for life to survive in the water body. Theirs was a life of movements by the current of  water for being shaped. Now they would enter into another role once in the dry land. 

Now the individual stones make a pile, creating an appearance of  a mass of well finished art work. The river and the river bed gave that formative experience to each stone, which started its rolling journey propelled by the running water of the river.  The stones with sharp edges and rough surfaces have become new with different shapes and sizes with a smooth surface!

The sight of this mass of stones created a ripple within me! I too have been moved and formed in life by different situations and events spread over life time. The first cry of an infant at birth is a sign of life ! The first cry is an aspirational announcement that the infant seeks for life to be well lived!

This instinctual first cry is both a physiological event and a life event with a mystical dimension, beyond comprehension!

It is a life event because the first breath creates an integrated respiratory-cardiovascualr- nervous system connection to make life in the body to thrive. 

From this initial life event we move on in life across eight stages of life according to the theory of Eric Erickson, a German-American psychoanalyst, who described the passage into life from infancy to being an elder. Each stage is described with a formative process. 

This schematic presentation of life's maturational and aspirational journey was initiated by the first cry at birth!

The question that surfaced within me as I live in the late seventh decade of my life is, how am I being formed to live generatively to integrate reality and egocentricity of this stage of my life! Knowing that this journey is towards the last breath, there is the gift of opportunity to become rounded and whole ! Some slip into despair and many live vibrantly in the advancing years because they live remembering the first cry which was an aspiration to live life and that too fully and over flowingly. 

The pile of stones represented to me the transformation the stones experienced in allowing to be formed by the environment in the flowing river. 

Every circumstance is therefore formative and not adversorial!

That gives an affirming and refreshing outlook to life, living and learning!

A senior person whom I met recently, whom I knew from my student days, now ahead of me in his age, said, in a joyful way, 'Each day brings an air of blessing to my soul and God is watching over my life'! What a state of contentment and jubilation!

Most of us would have thought that the destruction of human life and property during the second world war was a formative event to influence human conscience to seek for peace and human brotherhood for generations. But eighty five years later,  we see enmity and destruction imposed upon by sound minds upon others in Gaza, Ukraine, and some other places. 

When will human lives be lived on earth formatively and altruistically! 

I wish human beings will embrace God consciousness to feel loved and made ready to 'love our neighbour as ourselves'

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

 

From being a patient to becoming a person!

During a visit to a hospital, Anna and I had an opportunity to meet with a senior nurse and her team of colleagues, who are involved in a form of 'outreach' to patients. They are involved in helping some patients to discover the resident artistic skills, hitherto unknown to them. 

We saw a display of ideas on paper craft, Chinese painting, cloth painting, and designing articles from waste materials.

When we listened to the story of design and creation of some of the materials on display, we realised how patients on treatment for different clinical conditions during the hospital stay were enabled to express themselves and discover the hidden skills of originality. 

Anna and I  felt inspired by this story. Three cheers to the team of professionals in the hospital who attend to the clinical needs of patients but also see in them resources that remain unknown to them. This effort of the team of the professionals to befriend patients to lead them discover their artistic skills, is a unique function bringing a new culture in patient care. What a fascinating experience it was to discover the scope of 'patient education'  beyond treatment education or health education to 'life skill formative education' !

What touched us was the philosophy behind it. Many patients can find a new experience of inner healing or delightful awareness about themselves towards recapturing their own selfhood! From the body related preoccupation because of illness, patients are led to see the 'abundance' that resides them. The patients become pathfinders for their wellness!

I realised how a hospital becomes a temple of healing through this provision offered  to some patients. In that sense for some patients a visit to this hospital became a pilgrimage in reviving their self knowledge and awakening an aspiration to pursue after!

Listening to the director of the hospital we realised that this department was intentionally created to offer healing, health and wholeness to give people a future beyond just existing or treating an illness! This is the transformational mission of the hospital!

What an enlarged outlook of life well beyond medical care!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

The fullness in the weak!

The Pink Powder Puff flowers above on the hedge of a garden caught my attention yesterday because they looked radiant in the morning sun. 

They have a short life and have a colourful presence. Its vibrant presence is its message!

The slender filamentous petals look vulnerable and fragile! But I noticed them just sway in the wind and did not get blown away. It defies heat, humidity, wind and rain! Its strength is a mystery!

Anna and I happened to listen to the biography of person, who left his home to a far away place to get a job to earn enough to continue his study. He moved on to complete his post graduate studies and qualified to  be well employed now. He did not get dragged or subdued by his circumstances. He became an overcomer because he had a vision of being valuable being !

While listening to a family of two doctors, who attend to their son with multiple developmental needs, I noticed a radiance in their disposition and grace in the conversation, while sharing the daily rhythm of experiences. They now have a programme to attend to the needs of a few developmentally challenged children, organised at their home! They moved beyond their constraining circumstances to be resourceful and upbuilding in their mission!

The 'weakness' of  the flower above or the straining circumstances of  are not the picture one gathers as we draw near to the realities they represent. 

The 'weak' among us might have a resilience within them that can transcend to touch other lives to enliven them. 

That is how I felt at the end of the day, while recalling the sight of the flower and conversation with three people. 

The message of those whom we consider as weak, becomes one of inspiration as we allow to revise our first impression!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

Returning to inwardness !

One way of sensing the environment which some birds resort is to be perched at a height and get a glimpse of all that is around. I suppose the different body movements of this Barbets conveyed that habit. 

Our garden is usually visited by local birds who make the garden in their flight path on most days. 

However each day is different for them.

They are not followers of a routine.

The above Barbet is one among about five Barbets who visit the garden fairly regularly. These regular visitors claim a territorial right by coming to perch in the same site on most days. I notices on a few occasions a Myna leaving its perch when a Barbet flies in to perch. 

It is this behaviour that I view with considerable interest. 

The avian attitude of regardful behaviour ! This is one way of creating space for others. 

Anna and I happened to hear a nurse talk about her attempt to create space for a patient in psychosis. He comes in to the therapy room often agitated and reactively. When he is offered colouring materials he settles down to draw, colour and paint. While watching some of his creations,  I noticed one drawing of three pictures- one of a high tide in the sea, another of regular waves and another of a still water. That truly represented his inner ambience. This nurse was able to sense his mood swings and create space  to express the emotions candidly. Expressing his interior milieu is catharsis for that person. 

We need physical, social and emotional space. The Barbet bird above created that space for itself. 

I wonder whether that is common for many when they live occupied and pre-occupied. In a conversation I was asking a group if it was possible to create a three minute private space, five times in a day to return to ourselves to feel anchored in our inwardness!

If our inward space is a restful then that can overflow into our conscious being to stay with that interior milieu while doing the usual work. The inner ground of our being is the space where we can experience God's presence, where love, grace and hope abide. 

The prophet Isaiah made this clear in his message: 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength' (I saith 30:15).

Watching the Barbet perched in its still composure in an alert state offered me a call for reflective presence!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

 

Small, beautiful and elegant !

I have remained in suspense for a long time, till a keen bird watcher told me recently that the Sun-bird was named by the natives in Asia because of its dazzling and iridescent feathers shining even more in sunlight! Their brilliant and shining plumage can appear like sun rays when the sunlight falls on its plumage. They have a hue of colours on the plumage specific to each species. 

They are also tuneful and melodious in their bird call. While the male birds are brightly coloured, the female birds are muted olive or yellow for camouflage. 

I have noticed during their visit to our garden that they feed on nectar from flowers which are bright and colourful. They are regular visitors when the sun has risen and just before sunset! It seems that their inner clock has synchronicity with sunlight !

What they do normally is to turn in the direction our cottage and offer us their tuneful birdcalls each day after feeding on the nectar!

A bird call to greet us in gratitude !

We have now a row of plants in our garden, which give colourful flowers rich in nectar!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

 

The morning walkers !

 

At dawn I noticed the above movements while I was on my walk! Each of them was on its walk to fetch feed for the day!

The nature around them is their bowl of food. They search and find. 

When we sit at the table for a meal, we receive what is on the table. We have a prepared table to go to at each meal time. 

That is not true of the animals above. 

It is not true of people in Gaza. They do not have a table to return to for each meal. 

This is a story of people scattered in different places, where the social and economic developments are yet to catch up with them to have their basic needs met!

We live in an unequal world, where opportunities favour some and others are left to fend for themselves. 

This question of how I am to  be mindful,  in my little way, of people who are weary of striving and yet not finding, came upon me as I returned from the walk! 

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

Hope that keeps us peaceful!

The flowers blooming in spite of incessant rain of the last three days bring a message of hope!

The regions of Gaza and West Bank are again in conflict with human losses !Peace process is stalled!

It is rain here and it is war in Gaza. 

I hope the buds ready to open creates within us hope that shall hold our inner peace when the storms of life are raging! 

M.C.Mathew( photo and text) 

Fear proneness !

The behaviour of the squirrel at the feeding station appeared to be fretful. The presence of the Myna in the bush next to the feeding table might have been one factor. 

The squirrels are used to feeding alone in the feeding table. 

A few days ago, I found two squirrels and a Jungle Babbler sharing their meal at the feeding table. 

Did the squirrels feel comfortable because they were together with each other or were they able to overcome fear of birds!

Fear is an emotion. Familiarity brings the level of anxiety or stress to a low level! Knowing and becoming familiar is one way we help children to escape from the trap of fear!

A two year old child with his parents used to visit us. We had to restrain Dulcie, our dog, during the visits. Following a few visits, the child was ready to go near the dog and stroke her. Knowing and feeling comfortable eased the anxiety of the cild. The message that a dog barks and bites is lot more spoken to them rather than the message that a dog is a pet and friendly animal. This one sided information creates fear of the dogs in the minds of toddlers. 

I do not know whether fear can be fully overcome! It may not be necessary to be fear free as fear too has its positive messages to us. While visiting a mountain cliff, I noticed how the area was barricaded to prevent accidents and yet allowing the full view of the panaroma of the valley! Fear in that sense generates a protective action from danger.

The inhibitory effects of fear are too many that some people feel constrained in life in taking healthy risks and moving on to attempt to subdue fear. 

Darkness makes some pre-school children fearful. When a light is provided to lit the environment, the level of fear drops. We feel less fearful when we can see, hear, feel and know. It is when we know that there is no harm in sight, we feel safe and fear gets subsumed!

For senior citizens,  the fear of illness leading to sickness is a real cause of concern. That can generate fear.  But doing all that is good to remain healthy reduces the risk and can ally fear! Fear makes us weak psychologically, behaviourally and socially. 

One way to stay enlightened within is live contently and restfully knowing that, 'it is in God we live, move and have our being' !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Shared living!

 

When I watch different birds at the feeding table feed from the same feeding bowl and often partake of the same fruit, I get a sense of the comfort with which they relate to each other. Each bird receives its portion of feed from the same fruit. 

It is from the resources of the earth all humans receive to live on!

And yet humans pursue wealth creation for private benefit. 

The pursuit of well being of all, although was the intention of political governance in democratic countries, we find a partisan politics for narrow considerations. 

I live in state, one of the smaller states in India, where political friendship between ruling and opposition parties was cordial and consultative! In the recent years that relationship collapsed with a dominant desire from both parties to govern the state for partisan benefits. 

All humans are alike in aspirations of well being. That can be real only when we live cordially and reciprocally. The intention of harming other nations with high tariffs for goods imported to the United States of America while America gains is a recent crisis due to disregardful orientation towards other nations. 

I feel good that, though the avian world  can be hostile to each other, what is common is fraternal existence and social acceptance !

The avian behaviour gives us a different orientation about each other!

About fifty nations seem to be participating to reach material aids to Gaza and West Bank, although Israel is showing of discomfort to allow the rebuilding activities !

The human brotherhood, I hope would prevail and correct the course of history in the present times!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

Thriving or otherwise !

The flowers and buds above survive the heat and humidity of the day, the rain, or the dew of the night or the pests that feed on them! They are not just survivors but thrivers. 

I came a ross four words recently while reading about the life lived in stressful situations: strugglers, survivors, overcomes and thrivers .

The Strugglers are those who endure ordeals and strains and often get subdued by the stress upon them.

The Survivors are those who subsist amidst the adversities of life and yet feel oscillated by the circumstances .

The Overcomers are those who pursue a direction in life to live beyond all the challenges they face. 

The Thrivers are those who allow them to be stretched and live normally above the stressful experiences, turning them to be opportunities to grow in resilience and contentment. 

I felt that all these four experiences take place concurrently in our lives. Life offers us experiences of all these four situations to bring us to an optimum state of wellness, breathing in hope and breathing out fullness! 

I noticed yesterday that the co-traveller in a scooter did not wear a helmet while on the road ! He travelled unprotected. 

There are several safety steps one can take to live well in life!

A nutritious eating habit, regular body exercises and regulated regular sleeping hours,  practicing relaxation to find inner rest and aligning with God's purpose in lives are some essentials for living well or thriving!

And yet, many journey in life unprotected as they do not make the above practices as rituals. They enter into mid-life carrying the baggage of accumulated stress and its effects on the body and mid!

There is within us a longing to live soulfully, becoming ourselves and being pathfinders for others in troubled times!

The Lantana flowers have a short life. But during their life time, they   live colourfully. That is thriving!

I feel inspired and challenged to review the way I live each day!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

 

Recollection , Reflection and Resonance !

The above letter written on 3.2.1971 to a friend was passed on to another person unknown to me at that time, for him to consider the matter raised in the letter. That person who was requested to reply to me, did so on  10.3.1971. That letter below was the beginning of a friendship  for several years till he was called home three years ago. 

                      

It was in 2019 that we met last. He had by then handed my letter above   to a common friend to hand it over to me. I referred to his reply to me and mentioned to him that I retained the letter he sent to me as a memoir !

The two letters above carry a history of 52 years, till this friend moved on, after a life well lived in caring and serving others. 

There was an occasion for recollection of the story of this friendship two days ago and relive some of our shared experiences as we have had regular contacts with each other during those years with frequent contacts until he went to live overseas in 1977. 

A reflection of this long years of friendship reminded me of the way it evolved into a fellowship of communication at the heart level. The gracious listening and thoughtful responses he practiced touched my life ever since the first time I met him. 

A resonance of this memory is the 'call' of life he passed on to me. His call to me was 'to be a pilgrim' while being in the journey of life! Recently when a Magpie Robin gave its bird calls from the garden in front of our cottage,  looking in the direction where I was seated, I felt reminded of the call of this friend, 'to be pilgrim' !  

What a joy it is to have had a friend who showed the way to live the earthly journey! That call is still a desire! Although it is yet to be an authentic interior reality, I feel grateful for him to have pointed and initiated Anna and me in this way of living!

There are times in life, when one feels the resonances of the past of friends and friendships!

This season is one such occasion to remember this friend and his investment in our lives!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)