Guest Column | Mother nature lets everyone bask in her love
We all are bestowed with these gifts all around (and within) us, but we need to develop an eye and attitude for these; and for honing this much-needed outlook, remember the Latin words, ‘Lux in intimo est’ implying ‘the light is within’
My mother (who left for heavenly abode in 2023), was an avid fan of flowers, greenery and the mesmerising beauty of mother nature. Watching her, and even otherwise, I developed a similar love ever since my childhood. However, there was, (still is) a major difference. While my mother knew the names, flowering season and many other details about nature, and flora and fauna, I don’t. Though I enjoy it, bask in it, inhale it… but that’s about it. Apart from the basic school-provided knowledge about roses and sunflowers and lilies and lotuses, etc, I don’t fair too well on this front. And, after the passing away of my mother, guests would expect me to fill that role – take them to our garden and talk and share about flowering plants and shrubs of various types. Alas! They were always in for disappointment.
Also, for similar reasons, I find sheer magic in staring out of the window. In fact, whenever I get cravings of greenery cum nature cum flowers, my first instinct is to stare out of the window. I read the following beautiful lines recently, “God spoke today in flowers, and I, who was waiting on words, almost missed the conversation.” Utterly soothing.
Being in close proximity to flowers uplifts my spirits no end. It’s like the plant intentionally does something! On a particular day, a dear cousin was visiting us. She and her spouse both are passionate gardeners. When my mother narrated an incident, they both exclaimed together, “Plants do have a mind!” The incident goes like this that once my mother had gotten very upset with the guava tree in our garden because year after year it had yielded nil fruit. One day she stood close to the tree and scolded it and complained her heart out. A week later the tree started showing signs of fruition. Now too it yields guavas. Plants indeed do have a mind – it is a perfect hammer on the nail!
Another anecdote along similar lines - Once, we found a Robin’s nest in our mango tree during summer. It had beautiful blue-coloured eggs in it. We couldn’t resist capturing the sight, so, very stealthily, we clicked a picture and quickly slipped away from the place as human interruptions can scare/ disturb these pure and blessed sensitive beings. However, since flora always attracts fauna, monkeys also come to our lawn, and they had let the nest fall in their hurry and restlessness to get mangoes. It upset us, but then we consoled ourselves that mother nature balances everything.
My mother loved the sparrows, squirrels and parrots, that frequently visit our garden, too. She had purchased and hung baya weaver nests all around on low tree branches, and some easy-to-access baskets as well. She would stock all of these with grains, etc, for birds. While we are unable to follow this regularly after her demise, my father does go out to feed the birds with roti and bread crumbs till date.
I always find scores of lessons to be imbibed from nature. Here’s attempting an alignment with these lessons:
Be non-judgemental and impartial: Nature offers her five elements similarly to each being- water, air, fire, earth and space. In fact, she offers much more; count in the Sun, Moon, stars, flowers, vegetables… the list is endless. When she, being supremely powerful, offers these impartially, who are we mere mortals to discriminate on any grounds?
Own your darkness too, with pride: Nature makes a fruit-laden tree bend, and makes the moon shine bright despite the darkness. Much to be assimilated by us sapiens.
Be colourful: We all get sad, happy, angry, excited, and experience all sorts of emotions, sometimes in a single moment. We are like mother nature on that front, she can be gentle, aggressive, rewarding, punishing… as needed. But while we are not always just and systematic in exhibiting these feelings, nature is.
All in all, we all are bestowed with these gifts all around (and within) us, but we need to develop an eye and attitude for these. And for honing this much-needed outlook, remember the Latin words, ‘Lux in intimo est’ implying ‘The light is within’.
reemaban@gmail.com
(The author is an assistant professor of psychology at Rajiv Gandhi Government College, Ambala)
