A plant is a symbol of new life ! Its new buds and flowers announce the vibrancy of life within!
An infant at ten months of age who starts the attempt to stand to walk does not give up although he or she would fall several times in the process! The child often falls without hurting as the parachute reflex gives a protective cover! It is that determination which makes the child walk and run in the next few months.
The resilience of adults to remain relational is not as steadfast an it is in an infant to overcome the hurt suffered during falling while attempting to walk!
The adults dwell far too long on hurts, disappointments or loss suffered while relating to others. The broken relationships lead to estrangement, animosity or indifference.
I attended a meeting recently where most people I knew during my student days were the participants. It was while being in the meeting, I thought about the distance in relationships that come up due to differences of opinion or attitudes or way of life! What separates us from others are unforgotten memories or unforgiven thoughts!
What unites us or brings us together are many experiences of shared journey that differences would naturally get subsumed. It needs the vision of the journey ahead! An infant focussed on walking uses the experience of falling to learn how not to fall but to walk steadily.
At the end of the meeting it is this feeling that stayed with me. We have a lot common with others that stresses or strains in relationships are means to help us to grow in endurance and tolerance to continue building relationships.
I returned from the meeting experiencing the joy of building relationships overlooking the differences and distractions. I felt how accepting each other and endeavouring to be relational can bring an inner ambience of comfort and hope !
The plant lives its life giving and losing. It loses its flowers, but grows to give more!
That is a mission worth pursuing in life!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment