Four in one !

It is common to see families use motor bikes for their transport.

I feel that it is high time that we discourage this practice! I wonder whether we can make that as an educational exercise! I feel it is unsafe for children and too risky to be on road with an overloaded motor bike. The 125 cc bikes are not meant to carry about 200 kgs- it looses its balance and it is too effortful to negotiate a bike in the heavy traffic of fast moving vehicles! 

I wish, the governments owed pay greater attention to public transport so that families would find it enjoyable to travel without squeezing to a motor bike. There is a revival of interest in metro railways, monorails, faster and comfortable buses, creating dedicated lanes of buses, etc. I wonder whether this unchecked addition of vehicles to our roads would do us good in the long run when we are fighting pollution and congestion of space!   

The highest number of road accidents in the world seems to be in india. I wonder each of us can take an active role for advocacy for safety on the road !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

A denied animal instinct !

Anna and  I happened to watch some elephants in training for domestication, given their time for water play. As the elephants are irresistibly indulgent during the water play time, the mahout keeps a close watch on its behaviour. The elephant is forced to do only what is designed for that day, while in water. They are not given any exception to this rule. In fact we saw two elephants abruptly being taken out of water because of their non-compliance. As a part of the domestication training, this insistence to do only what is decided for it to do in one sense is understandable.  It is one way the trainers 'break the will' of these elephants to comply always. 

On our way back, this particular outlook to training bothered me a lot.  It is an instinct of an elephant to be in water and play. Most elephants do not get the chance for this water play. They grow up denied of the gratification of this instinct. Most elephants do not react to this deprivation as they adapt to this easily and naturally. In fact many elephants are well cared for by their keepers.

Animals are subject to humans and they do what we decide for them. Who are we subject to as humans!

I wish there is more God consciousness and brotherly love among humans!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Words of Confession !

While visiting an ancient Church, whose origin is linked to the time of visit of St. Thomas , I noticed the confession of St. Thomas inscribed prominently above the ornamental altar.

As the congregation comes together for every worshipping occasion, these words hopefully would come alive to at least some. While moving around the campus of this church with a membership of over 2000 faithful, I met many waiting outside, solemnly participating in the worship service which was relayed through the public address system. They were outside because there was no standing space available inside.  

Most faithful would attend worship services periodically if not regularly. This is a tradition and ritual most people would not like to miss. 

Having lived in Kerala for three years now, it is clear to us that these religious practices help in showing the 'narrow way' of living righteously against the wide open door of materialism, fulfilment driven life style, and pursuit of ambition at any cost. 

During the time when the Wesley brothers were engaged in announcing the good news of Jesus of Nazareth through songs and sermons in the United Kingdom, there was an increased consciousness about living moral lives that the crime rates dropped, alcohol consumption decreased, and the quality of family life improved remarkably. In fact it is mentioned in public health books that people kept their homes and streets clean that even the incidence of epidemics of communicable diseases decreased.   

I look forward to the same effect in Kerala - a decline in alcohol consumption drunker behaviour at home!

M.C.Mathew(photo and text)

A season of many memories.

Anna and I have been living in my parent's cottage for three years now. From the time we came here to care for my mother, have been captivated by the vegetation around the cottage with fruit bearing trees and wild overgrowth. We decided to plant more as we knew that some trees had to be cut or pruned as they became tall and was at risk during frequent storm during the prolonged monsoon of almost six months here. 

Having planted over one hundred trees, we decided to cut about forty trees during this month. As each tree fell, when axed, I went back the memory lane to fifty or  more years when all those trees were planted by my father. The labourers in the farm over these years tended and watered these trees and now they have become timber for use. They lost their life but were self-giving even then.

Our lives have this inherent calling! When we live we can add goodness all around and and when our life is over, we would still be able to leave behind memorials of service and self-giving vocation.

Blessed are those who live to love and long to do good! It is what is lacking often. We get intimidated by the evil around us and get carried by injustice! Yes there is a place and need for it. But fighting injustice does not fill the vacuum in human consciousness which goodness and mercy alone call fill.

The writer to Romans, in chapter 11, makes a concluding confession of discovery,'For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things..'. What a calling to live with!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)  

First fruits

Honey from the honeycomb

Farewell to trees