Sheltering friendship !

 

The Magpie robin visits the garden by perching on a cable opposite this flowering plant to inspect if the fruits are ripe enough to feed on. It inspects and waits till the fruits turn purple to pluck them. I have watched this almost every day for a week. 

A Bulbul is another visitor waiting for the fruit to ripen! 

But there are other birds, which come to the feeding station in our garden for their daily bread !

The garden offers a choice for the birds. 

This thought had a refreshing effect on me. It is a privilege to live surrounded by a fertile garden which shelters birds, squirrel, bees, and multiple insects. 

In a telephone yesterday, a friend talked about 'sheltering friendships'. This friend mentioned about the safety of trust, acceptance, and encouragement while relating to some! The sense of security such friendships offer matters a lot! 

It led me to reflect on how comforting it might be to a person who goes through unsettling experiences to feel protected by a confidential conversation! The freedom one can offer to a person to make a steady journey to find the comfort zone, while facing difficult experiences, is a gift of acceptance and affirmation one can offer as a shelter! 

The trustful relationships offer the shelter to those in the journey of becoming like what a garden does to feed the birds! 

M.C.Mathew ( text and photo)