From a distance !

I was on a walk and sighted two birds far away, one perched on a tree and another in a bush! I did not have a telephoto lens with me at that time. 

They are still sights that capture attention and make us stare at them! They initiated a meditative mood within me!

They live away from human habitation and make the wild richer with their presence. In fact they make us learn about living in tune with the ambience of nature! They use nature but never exploit it

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

A hanging dragonfly!

It look like that a dragonfly can even hang!

Another one was in a slanting posture well balanced!

A third one was well placed on a swaying leaf!

A fourth one was resting defying force of gravity!

I was struck by the versatile habits of dragonflies!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Single Birds

I sight these three birds regularly for the last two weeks almost at the same sites in the morning. They as of now are single. Most of the other birds of different species are already in pairs. Would they ngo through this mating season as singles!

Being single is not the norm. But some birds remain single.

One thing about the single birds, I understand is that they regard the territory of other birds and do not fight for their right of geographical control. They live by avian way of 'let go'!

To let go is a difficult human virtue which we do not come across often.

To let go means that  we give in to the needs of others or give preference to others over us.

I went to buy a cup of tea yesterday from the hospital counter yesterday. A senior colleague insisted that I be served first although I came after him, because he thought I had children waiting for me to be welcomed in the out patient service!

Human mindfulness can be touching and inspiring. I felt it deeply yesterday!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

An alter, pulpit and interior !

Ann and I were at the Immanuel Church at Broadway, Ernakulum last week for a wedding. It was tastefully decorated for Christmas and new year. 

At the alter hung a star, the pulpit was surrounded by Christmas decor and the pews had flowers !

While sitting in the pew I recalled first visit to this church seven years ago. The presbyter welcomed Anna and myself warmly after the service and took time to get to know us! It is that gesture which drew us to become the members of this church. 

It is none of the interior of the exterior of a church which warms the hearts of the worshippers but the care and welcome offered to those who come to attend the worship service. 

A church service brings people with different needs. How they go back after the worship service is what matters! 

I wonder whether a human touch of care and attention is shared warmly with people to make them feel invited to turn Godward! 

Anna and I feel engaged with this question as to how we can be an encouragement to other fellow worshippers and receive other's gestures of regards towards us gratefully! This is the beginning of a worshipping congregation becoming a pilgrim community!

It is not an altar, pulpit or the interior in a church, or the choir which are the only means of grace  in a church but also the way we usher in the visitors and send them away warmly after the service. 

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

120 years of history !

The above photograph appeared on the January, 2020 of the calendar of CMC hospital, which is of late fifties of the college campus. The hospital is in its 120th year in 2020.

I like this picture of of a member of the faculty of the college sitting on the college hill and viewing the campus as it existed then.  

It was the second campus of the college then, the first being the hospital campus in the Vellore town. Now CMC is spread over sen campuses, the latest being the Kanigapuram campus, which would be ready for occupation with 1500 in-patient beds in the middle of 2020. 

Between this photograph then and now spread over sixty years, CMC vellore has diversified across primary care facility and quartenary care services. 

I wonder what were the thoughts of this faculty while viewing the college campus sixty years ago!

What has happened in sixty years is amazing! What would be CMC Vellore fifty years form now is a question that comes up in conversations. 

What engages me is the power of a dream!

Each of us need a vision to live for!

A vision is larger than a reality which  might be accomplished in one's life time!

When the vision or dream involves wellness or benefits for others, it has  a cascading effect of many collaborating. 

I have experienced in the last seven years while setting up a department of Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology at MOSC Medical College, Kolanchery.

It is when our aspiration becomes larger than what we can personally achieve, it becomes a vision which might capture the attention of our companions to participate in the journey towards the vision!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

Grateful and surprised!

With the dawn of 2020, we are in the eight year of the department of Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology. I am overwhelmed by many grateful memories of my present and  former colleagues. I refer to fifteen eighteen colleagues and eleven current ones.  For most of them it was the first time experience of the scope, mission and frontiers of this specialty.  I feel equally overwhelmed by the evolution of this specialty in this institution which some remark as a unique service in  a medical college. 

Every former and present professional is the architect of turning  a mission into an academic specialty. Yesterday Anna reminded me that seven scientific papers were published and eleven presentation were made at national and international conferences by medical students who partnered with us in the research projects during the last seven years. Thomas (in the photo below) who is now a junior resident preparing for his post-graduate entrance, was the first medical student who began the research study in the department. Most of the students were able to get ICMR awards for their research work.   

I feel moved to find the usefulness of the Early Learning centre, Learning Resource Centre, Family Resource centre and Transition Planning centre in the lives of parents and children. I sense a resolve in my colleagues to make earnest efforts to try out new approaches to support parents such as forming  a Parenting Forum and design child friendly home environment.

During this season of Christmas and new year, I felt touched by the efforts of my colleagues to make hand crafted thank-you cards and visit about thirty departments in the hospital who help us in some way or other and even distribute cakes to some of them. 

The enthusiasm my colleagues showed to use the money collected from the save a rupee campaign among students and staff for buying toys for children in the creche created in the hospital administration a desire to upgrade facilities in the creche. 

Yesterday, I felt overjoyed by the spontaneous gesture by the team to substitute lunch planned for two occasions during this week with tea to save money to purchase toys for five families who are economically disadvantaged!

What makes a work place a life transforming experience are  acts of thoughtfulness towards each other,  neighbours and strangers! 

What was just a dream in 2012 as a service for children has now become a formative place for all of us where we grow and develop while we work and relate. 

I feel blessed by what Anna and I  receive from their cheerful self giving habits ! Thank you friends, (past and present) you have touched us and we have grown!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)

Welcome 2020

I found this sunbird in its usual site in three different body postures.

One posture was looking upwards which it did often during that five minutes transit halt in its flight path. Looking upward might mean many things for a bird. But I was reminded of the meditation of  a Psalmist in a Psalm in the Old Testament of the Bible, 'I will lift up eyes to the mountains from whence shall my help come from?'! (Psalm.121:1)  It is an affirmation of strength, guidance and provision coming from beyond ourselves. There is a reality beyond the visible and tangible of a God, in 'whom we live, move and have our being'!  It is that consciousness and acceptance that stills human soul and revives hope. 

The second picture is of the bird looking forward. It is discerning its flight path! A movement forward  is  a sign of readiness for a mission. There is a call that moves our lives into actions of service and benevolence. We live relationally and others become our mission. The abiding human goodness spreads the message of goodwill towards all. We live well only when others are our focus of attention. We are destined to be people with sympathy(feeling with ) and empathy (feeling into). It is when we live open to others and their situations we actually live out our vocation. So looking forward also would mean moving beyond ourselves and longing for ourselves. 

The third picture is the bird looking around. It is the surrounding that gives the bird an appraisal of its setting. Looking around is one way of ascertaining the journey course. Every move in life is conditioned by the happenings all around us.  What we see and feel become a reason for our responses. Our context speaks to us and being fully present to that context is therefore the starting point for responsible presence and responses. 

This  bird, tiny as it is, is left to the uncertainties of all sorts. But the body language it conveys is one of being in charge by planning its course for the rest of the day.  How it starts the day makes  the difference for the rest of the day.

Begin 2020 well and the year would unfold its mysteries and opportunities. 

There are more people in need today than ever before because we are driven people by acquisitive passion and success drivenness.  The pace is faster and living is stressful. 

We live among people who seek for a friend, companion or a confidant. I want to offer to be one!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)