The rain had bent the mushroom a bit, but yet it stood strong, firmly rooted to the ground!
By Nigar
My friend Trinkoo and I love doing what we call “Nature Trail”. No, it isn’t about going off on long treks to the mountains or deep into jungles. It’s about observing trees, plants, insects, animals, birds and so on just in the places where we live or happen to pass. It could be the terrace of our house or the backyard, or, for that matter, even the roadside!
‘Nature Trailing’ is a great way to understand and wonder at God’s marvellous creation! When we observe nature, it fortifies our faith that God is always taking care of His creations.
Recently, in the backyard of our home I spotted two crows patiently picking out feathery sticks from a broom. My instinctive reaction was something like: “Oh! I’ve spent 50 rupees on the broomstick and these crows are messing away with it!” But then I chuckled, observing how sweetly the birds picked the sticks from the broom and flew away, may be to build their nest. How wonderfully God had guided them to the broomstick!
Humans often despair in the face of calamities. One can learn great lessons from animals and birds on how to handle them. The other day, rain water mixed with some drain water rushed into the office where I work. It was devastating. It drowned furniture, books and papers, causing many things to become beyond use. I worried for Muezza, the cat who often shared my chair, napping on it while I worked. “Our” chair had drowned in the deluge and poor Muezza had no place in the office to sit. But God’s kindness is abounding! I found Muezza creeping in through the neighbour’s yard to munch on the food that had been kept for him in a bowl on the generator! God had arranged for Muezza to take refuge in a safe place when the office was flooded! Amidst my despair, Muezza’s perky meow rekindled my faith of sunny days ahead!
The squirrels squeaking in the trees, the koel singing on summer afternoons or even a bandicoot jumping into the waste bin to munch on leftovers”all of them can teach us immense lessons on positivity! They are singing or squeaking for no other reason but sheer delight, some would say, or in praise of God, as others would.
Observing nature can instill optimism in us. We easily get rattled by mundane issues, be it traffic jams or potholes or rough, rude people we may have to encounter in our daily lives. Seeing a hibiscus in bloom in your neighbour’s garden can be enough to put a smile back on your face!
The other day, an old college friend sent me a message that hurt me. It was about her particular ideology that I don’t share. It weighed on my heart as I got a feeling of being deliberately isolated. But I kept my cool and let it be. May be fasting had slowed down my brains for the good! The next morning, as I strolled into the backyard, I was delighted to spot a lovely white mushroom popping out amidst a heap of branches! I kept looking at the mushroom. I felt thrilled, as if I was in a fairyland amidst toadstools!
The mushroom had grown peacefully and quietly in the corner despite having little sunlight and with the clutter that lay around. It taught me that life will throw challenges but one must remain unruffled and focus on growing into what God wants you to be.
The rains had bent the mushroom a bit, but yet it stood strong, firmly rooted to the ground. That’s what life is”or, rather, should be”about, isn’t it?: Stay strong and positive like that little white mushroom!
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