One rose bush above in our garden was full of buds when I left home for a week of engagement. When I came back the flowers were in different stages of ageing!
It brought to me a message about life on earth!
There is a 'given time' to flower and be fragrant as fragile flowers.
In the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible in chapter 3, there are 22 verses which tell the story of the behavioural voyage of people on earth. I felt a call within when I read the verse 12: "I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's life time". The verse 22 is another statement of invitation: "And I have seen nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him !".
I felt the flowers above from our garden speaking to me about the calling to be present to do good in whatever situation we are called to be!
The plant is rooted in the soil to bring forth flowers ! The flowers are present dung their appointed time in the plant and fade away with no marks of memory in history! It is a journey from the unknown to the unknown! However their life time offer colourful presence, where they bloom!
It adds a sacred dimension to life!
Our life is a gift given to us to blossom!
It is only as much as we are open we leave a trace of goodness around us! It is that trace of goodness that is scarce in our troubled times!
I am made to think about the way of my being!
The flowers may remain in the plant, or taken away for a flower vase or be a nectar provider for ants or feel strained by the heat of the day! In all such situations, the flowers remain fragrant!
It is not what others do to us that can determine our response. Our response in all situations is the offering of our being!
It was a taxi driver who reminded me of this orientation of living! He found an important paper I left behind in the car. While he was doing a routine check of the car after dropping me, he found the paper. By then I had walked away! He came searching for me to hand over the document. He refused a gift that I offered. He said, 'Doing what I can do makes me feel good' !
What a delight it is to have such people around us, who remind us of the joy of living by doing good to others!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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