The gift of a look!

I was on my way back after the morning walk. I stopped on the way to watch some children on the bicycle, having the road to themselves as it was early for the morning traffic. 

I heard a flutter and looked up to see a white and brown pigeon arriving on a cable. What surprised me was that, it turned to look at my direction after having had a 360 degree view of the air space around it. I wonder whether it was a resident bird of some other area! Among the few people whom I asked,  none  recollected of having seen pigeons of this plumage in this area. 

I saw it looking straight at the camera for a while,  which gave me some good pictures of its face. 

Till a vehicle came sounding a loud horn, it stayed on the cable. 

On the first day of the 41st year of ASHIRVAD, it was refreshing to spot a white and brown pigeon. I do not recollect having seen one with this body complexion. 

It was a new experience!

I wonder, whether it s signal of new experiences awaiting Anna  and me, as we explore the direction for ASHIRVAD in its  41 st  year!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

 

A family of Tailorbirds

It was the first time I watched a family of Tailorbirds in a bush on the road side. The regular visitors to our garden have been usually single birds.  What held my attention was how the adult birds chased each other, although only for a short time ! Both adults flew away following this  leaving the other birds in the bush. One of the adult birds returned after a few minutes. 

An unusual sight !

The adult birds I noticed above appeared larger than the ones who visit our garden in front of our cottage. They would loudly, lustily and tunefully. The birds I spotted today were weak in tune and rhythm. 

But I thought that the plumage of the birds above was more colourful!

M.C.Mathew(Text and photo)

Silence, Presence and Intimacy !

I watched this bird pair for a while to follow their behaviour at dusk, before they returned to their nest in the Ashoka tree. 

They were silent and largely still. They looked comfortable and preparing themselves for returning to their nest. 

They looked present to each other and kept communicating. 

What was pronounced in this period of their togetherness was silence and communication, which is one means for intimacy. 

People feel distant from each other for various reasons. While participating on an on line meeting yesterday, one comment I heard was the 'distance' or 'strangeness' the 'social distancing', which is emphasised during the COVID 19 pandemic, has strained relationships. 

I wish the focus was on 'physical distancing' and not on social distancing. None of us can meaningfully exist unless we stay related to others. We can keep physical distance and yet be socially intimate, which is what we want to achieve during this season to reduce the spread of the infection. 

People are in all forms of sorrow and loss and how can social distancing be an answer! We want people to relate and communicate, which is a means for catharsis and unburdening.

I happened to stay in touch on phone during this season with some people with whom I have not been usually in touch. I sensed from this how much people want to share and receive from such contacts. 

Often relationships suffer on account of reasons unknown to each other. When that happens, it I necessary to guard the relationships from suspicion, blame or let down. All humans have needs of their own during which their ability to relate to others might wax and wane. It is necessary to avoid trust deficit developing during this period. 

Silence is a season of inner healing and enlarging the space for others in our lives. It is in silence we meet with ourselves and rise above our subjective impressions to a level of appreciation and gratefulness towards from whom we might feel distant for a while. To be silent means to wait! Waiting is the sure remedy for relationships to get renewed. 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Sun bathing !

This pigeon was sun bathing this morning!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Arrival and departure !

It was mid day and I took a break from consultation at the Bangalore Baptist Hospital and what her my attention was a bulbul singing perched on an electric cable. 

Soon another bulbul joined this bird. What captured my attention was the behaviour of the second bird. It did not settle in well at all. It was perched a distant way form the other bird. It kept moving gin its position showing a readiness to fly away than befriend the other bulbul. Soon after that bird left, the other bulbul restarted its bird call even more gustily. The pitch, loudness and duration of the call and changed following this disappointing visit from another bulbul who preferred to fly away ranter than stay!

This story symbolises movements in our own lives. I woke up this morning of recalling some occasions when I had to move away from certain situations because they became too overbearing or burdensome. 

It also gives a insight about friendships. We move towards others expecting mutuality, trust, openness and cordiality. We might feel disappointed and move away to seek for more comfortable relationships. 

The story of this bulbul whose birdcall brought the other one is worth thinking about. Even after the other bulbul arrived and departed it kept up with its bird call. It announced its friendship to any other bulbul! It gives away to others through its bird call. 

To be giving what we are able to share with others is a gift and investment! 

The purpose of life is for giving and receiving !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

Singing to each other!

How delightful it is to watch these two Magpie Robins sing to each other at in  a sunny morning far away perched in a Banyan tree! 

The sights and scenes like this reveal a lot about the mystery in nature, where endearing conversations take place between birds!

Don't these birds announce the joyfulness of the morning!

I got up this morning with a feeling of anxiety about three meetings and a pressure to make a decision!

Seeing these birds perched in fragile branches which swayed in the wind and seemed to offset their balance, neither of the birds got affected by the circumstances. Theirs was music from within.

At the first meeting, when difficulties were discussed existing between two people which seemed to affect the work, there was a mood of dismay and anxiety!

I felt good that I had watched the Robins in the morning who sang to each other ! They sang inspite of the swaying branches.

That gave me an openness to be patient and encourage the group to be in touch with each other trustfully and thoughtfully!

The language of love is the starting point to face conflict without causing casualties!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo) 

A Meal time !

A female and male tree pie took turns to feed on the papaya fruit. While they waited for each other to have a turn, both appeared patient.

This discipline of waiting for each other was a striking part of the behaviour of these two tree pies.

I have seen the opposite with squirrels. One squirrel was preventing another from sharing a meal.

I was pleased to watch the bird behaviour. It was the female who had the first turn. That too is striking. Although the male bird is the one who leads in the bird call, it looks alike that it was the female who had the first opportunity to feed. 

A lesson in mindfulness!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)