About a symphony of greenery…

“If you were watching us on a stage, would your comments about us be ‘He is too old’, ‘She is too ugly’, ‘It is too short’, ‘He is too loud’, ‘She is too fat’? Or would you see harmony, with all of us facing the sun in earnest expectation of warmth and sustenance? We may be old or young, ugly or beautiful, short or tall, loud or soft, fat or thin but we all have fundamental similarities! Should you not be on the lookout for a similar symphony of your fellow beings around you everyday? – Greenery at Moka in Mauritius

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About differences With similarities…

“Long horns, lanky legs, wide-eyed look? Thickset, furry, squinty eyed? So obviously different looking… Do we really have anything in common that can foster friendly conversation? Hmm…. Let us think a little! How about comparing our instincts for survival? The ways in which we care for our offspring? The intricacies of our group relationships? The effects of the environment in which we live? We all can learn from each other, from our differences, from the other perspective! Listen, you can hear the conversation…” – Diversity discourse, Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya.

About Hope in the midst of Despair…

“Don’t despair Little One… when dark clouds gather and swirl and it seems as if your world is closing in on you… know that I am always there. My light is blue… a beacon, guiding, comforting and, with the promise of sunny skies and warmth, bringing you hope and love! O Little One, know that you are loved, know that you are loved… I am always right beside you holding your hand!” – His message from anywhere in the world… dedicated to the one who needs Hope and Love.

About the beauty of solitude…

“People seek out company wanting to talk and listen to each other… Indeed, most are afraid of being alone; death by loneliness the scourge of some lives… But can peaceful solitude be compared with loneliness… When an upright individual stands tall in surroundings that encourage him to draw in and radiate peace, solitude takes on a whole new, beautiful light…” – What the giraffe said, Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya

About finding peace in the midst of everyday turmoil…

“It is lunch-time on Easter Monday in Nairobi… Shards of glass all around me waiting to cut at the tiniest false move, barking dogs below going crazy to attack should I slip the tiniest bit… Yet, I try to enjoy every morsel of nourishment amidst the mayhem!” – Monkey on a wall, Parklands, Nairobi

About the door of mercy…

“The doorway of mercy exhorts you to look upwards… perhaps to the heavens in search of spiritual succour and benediction… however, it is incomplete without the need to look ‘sideways’ – all around you – in search of people to forgive and to be compassionate towards so that there is festive cheer all around!” – Door at La Cathédrale, Port Louis, Mauritius

(I have read that the cross not only symbolises the need for us to strive towards spiritual ascent to Heaven i.e. the vertical, but also the importance of virtuous dealings with our fellow physical beings i.e. the horizontal)

About respectful curiosity…

“As I go about my daily play, isn’t it liberating for you to stop by and observe my way of life? As you go about your daily life, I find it liberating to stop by and watch you play too… If separate species can afford this respect to one another, why can’t human races, cultures and religions do the same? – Curious spider in the car, Mauritius

Weekly Photo Challenge – Eye Spy