The missing generation!

There are changes in the bird movements seasonally in ur garden. Often we do not observe them carefully so as to miss seeing some birds. 

But Anna and I certainly miss Magpie robins. Usually one of them would be perched at day break on the cable in our courtyard while we have our cup of coffee in our drawing room. We got used to watching one or two of them and listen to the tuneful singing for a while. The variable loudness, duration and tune have an originality that do not get repeated. The male birds are the tuneful singers. 

It is well known that the Magpie robins are comfortable with human proximity. So they choose flight stations which are closer to homes. 

What is the larger message of this disappearance of the Magpie robins! 

One thing we notice is that our garden is lot more noisy with Mynahs and jungle Babblers. Both of these bird species are noisy and imposing! They come in group of five or more and flutter and move between trees, that smaller birds do not feel comfortable to appear in their vicinity. Even the Sun birds changed the timings of their visit to the garden to avoid these larger noisy birds. 

 

This story of displacement brought to my attention what happened to our neighbourhood. Out of about forty two households during my childhood, only five families are left in the neighbourhood. Others   got lured by the large offer of prize or their  properties and moved out to the interior places, some building new houses others choosing to live in rented houses. Most of the families needed the money to educate their children. Apart from selling their houses, they also had to take bank loans. 

These children are in other places in India studying or working or are overseas waiting for opportunities after their study. The homes have older people in most homes. 

A generation or two are missing in our village and in the surrounding villages. 

The older people live without active engagement with the younger people and the younger people do not get the benefit of the shelter of the older people.  

The absence of one or two generations in a society brings discontinuity and weakness in the fabric of a society without the younger people bringing the vibrancy and change needed in the formation of a society. We live mostly with the  generational thoughts of yesteryears without the influence of the inspirational thoughts and dreams of younger people! 

The song of Magpie robins are missing in our garden! 

The thoughts of the younger people are missing in the formation of our homes and families. 

This is a serious gap in the generational transition ! 

Unless our educational system changes to make learning transformative to make younger people to take the reins of responsibility and leadership, we shall live in the past with ideas and thoughts that the older generation has grown up with ! 

The younger people feel displaced and disheartened! They need larger space and acknowledgement! 

If about 40 percent of the population in India are below 30 years, then they have the right and role to lead rest of us! 

I feel exercised to pursue this thought further by initiating a dialogue process with some ! 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)