Little Penguins (Part 2)

"Mom, tell us a bed time story', My little children 5 and 4 years old cooing , laying beside me on a cozy bed into the nook of my arms.
"Oh now, o no, I thought to myself. My mood was not good. I was so sad. I cant leave my little children just like that and go away for a Refresher's course for Lecturers in Bangalore. oh not now I cannot invent any story for them as I used to do"
I was taking the class for BA students, then suddenly our principal Sr. Winifred came and told me, ;"Miss!! there is a Refresher's course for Lecturers in Social work in Bangalore, in fact it was already started a week ago and still there is a vacancy for one more lecturer, so you please go tomorrow and attend this course for two weeks"--that was all that she spoke and left.

We lecturers need to do 4 Refresher's courses to get UGC//  Pay commission recommended salaries, or we should complete PhD in our subject. This option is given  only to some batch of lecturers who joined before 1985 or so.. As I had been in service since 1976 I was supposed to do these courses.
Its a good opportunity for me, but I was not happy to leave my little children like that to go. My husband was working in Railways , in Vijayawada 60km away , in those days to go to that place , he used to take a passenger train to and fro which would make him to go at 6 am and come in the night 10 pm
The responsibility  about the children was too much but I used to take it gladly all through even at the cost of stress and sacrificial life. I hardly had any time for myself, all ways hurry baths, hurry gulping of a morsel of food , many trips to the school and hospitals when they were sick , it costs me lot of patience and physical strength .I was in a way used to take all the responsibility and never entertained, not even a single thought in my mind, to entrust that responsibility to any one , yea, not even to their dad. I used to give me relaxation time for him to spend with children rather than any responsibility. In such conditions leaving my children like that going out two weeks is like a nightmare to me.

See I am different kind, I take things very serious, I am made up of some stuff like too much sentiments, emotions, feelings.. may be that was the reason God all ways have to answer me for every cry of mine immediately. For He promised me that He would not bring any temptation beyond my capacity and even if it occurs He would make a way to get out of that. He is so kind and understands me so well, as I often being misunderstood by my very beloved people in close quarters.

Now.. 'how can I tell a story to my sweet little children here ', I all ways tell them a story and pray while they go to sleep nuzzling into my lap. Then I put them on bed. But today the scene is different, I need to be consoled more than they were. but I can't say 'no' to them.
 As if I was inspired by God I stretched out my hand and got a small little book, Discovery Digest of Back to the Bible series. which was there on the table along with many other books just beside my bed. When I picked one of them, I found that little book with Penguin picture on it and a chick in between the legs. I did not read that book till then as it was a new book yet to be read.
when I started to read and explain the story to my children the words in that book jumping up into my eyes, and stars of the story were showering on us  becoming so vivid...making me and my children accept the situation healthily and happily.

I found myself telling them the story weaving around the dad Penguin, how he need to take care of the little birds for some time while mom Penguin should relinquish;    for me Refresher's course to be refreshed for two weeks"
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the book says like this---
. "Finally, the eggs come forth. The mother, even more depleted than the father after laying the eggs, makes a rush to the sea to binge-eat, replenishing her famished self and staving off post-ovum depression.
  The father stays around to keep the eggs warm.'


The emperor penguin serves as one of the few examples in nature of a dedicated father. After the mother lays the egg, her nutrition levels are diminished and she must replenish them by feeding in the ocean for two months. The mother's absence leaves the father responsible for keeping the egg 
 The male tends to the egg when.. the female returns to the sea, in order to feed herself
A father Emperor penguin feed the chicks  special liquid from their throats till the mother penguins return to care for the young."
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      so by the time I told the story according to the grasping ability and understanding of the little ones, they were so exited to know that dad would take care of them in my absence and dad would cook for them , dad would dress them up , and 'dad would take them to school even?' they asked me while my husband was listening to us while he was reading something.
   He said ,Oh yea I will do all that, just as the dad penguin did, and also another good news, your uncle from Intur would come to stay with you too, and I am applying leave for a few days to stay with you " They were more excited with this piece of news and slowly slumbered into deep sleep, and I am excited and into sleep.

Yes, I could leave them into the hands of God and their dad, and left for Bangalore, praising God.
       But you know some people like me find a sort of satisfaction in still grieving over nothing.
  In Banglore I was so much taken care , good comfortable bed, hot water baths, hot food served on our tables, and lot of food for the brain, good discussions and long long evening walks etc gave me rest and happiness, but still somewhere some how could not detach myself from my sweet home and sweet sweet children.
"Hey Leela what is that bothering you? huh? can you get your children to this place? nooo.. at least can you leave this course and go to them/ ? nooo... then what fun it is to be sad thinking of them..huh? "
 Venus from Kerala university was exhorting me..
 oh well then I came to my senses, and really started to learn to be refreshed.
    When I came home, children were shouting with joy, "Mom, do you know dad cooked potatoes curry so yummy.". it was a great discovery for them.
    "wow, they are so happy, by God's grace".
       I praised God for His timely stories and also exhortations through a good friend, just to make me realize how much I need to refresh by taking rest to my self. to be refreshed and revived  more enthusiastically.

Replinish -refill, top up, fill up, recharge,reload;
freshen; plenish

Refresher's course==Refresh physically and academically and mentally ...
Penguines two months      but for me Two weeks.

Little Penguins of Philip Island (Part 1)

    Only 90 minutes  from Melbourne , Philip Island which I visited made an indelible mark in many memorable events I witnessed in my short stay in Australia.
           I watched the smallest penguins of the world marching through the dunes of the sea, in the dusk of the sunset, slowly wobbling their way, into the green bushes ashore finding their abode of small burrows hidden under the bridge, on which we stood awe stricken, silent and looking at the amazing phenomena of God's love for these little creatures
             He showed His magnificent design once again by putting such a great intelligence and sentiments, insights and instincts into the small brain of these little miniatures of beautiful creation of God.

            They were there, on the white beach among the black rocks in the black  bluish and stunningly silent waters of white froth surf.   They were standing some towards the sea, some towards their left side ... slowly moving as if they were in a slow motion film.   They watch over the other penguins, and at the same time waiting for their families to come ashore to meet them.         Now and then one or two penguins make a quick survey of the sea surface to find the whereabouts of other groups of the penguins swimming through the waters to reach the shore.
  Steadily all of them waiting , expectantly, waiting for others to come; they are not selfish, to push others and go away, they are not zombie like things not caring about their ancient family, they are not possessive caring only their immediate family members.  They showed an amazing patience, concern and respect towards the well being of their fellow penguins.

       As the time pass by and by, as the other penguins coming and joining the group in clusters, I saw one of them made its way slowly and steadily with determined steps, wobbling, into the green bushes, where there was a walk path for them... through which it made its way right under the bridge where I was standing staring into the darkness. The path was illuminated by the shaded electricity . As the leader I do not know who employed her , who elected her/him to take up the responsibility of leading others, it  is a mystery.
 She posted on one feet height elevated earthen platform . She made her seat comfortable and its beak towards the other penguins following after her.
     She did not make any noise or shouts like in other species of the creation, but all other penguins who were following her knew exactly where she posted her self as security guard.
 While she was there , I saw the little blue penguins coming one by one and stood a little lower to her scrutiny gaze, visible to her, and in waiting for others to come and join.
  Minutes were passing on, but they were still and quiet, no noise like other birds,  they look like little gentlemen in black coats and white shirts standing erect with their heads high.  The way they conduct themselves is amazing  they were behaving as cultured royal breed.
      They have discipline , they have punctuality, they have concern for others, they have responsibility  for the group.
  The human world forgot all these  wonderful  qualities of gentlemen , royalty, and beauty of the life.
   But these little birds , still cherish them as if there was a king to obey and to keep the rules.
     The little leader when she thought others are not finding her, or she lied down on that elevated earthen platform among small twigs of green bush, invisible to us, may be shy to lie down in front of us?? do not know but it made a dust signal-- beyond and invisible naked eye of any one of us who were staring in her direction.  This phenomena of hers is spectacular and very secretive.  The other members of the group gathered, enough, and  I saw one of them coming forward just like in the parade we witness on any National Day,as the  leader of the squad tilting his head a little towards the flag and president to salute him as he going on marching.  So this one did the same and found the leader on elevated Dias, and went back to the group, and fetched them one by one after her in  line..wobbling and taking little strides of steps slowly and steadily as if they were in marching in a Que.
One batch of them who stood in group marched forward and went into the burrows under the bridge.  and the rest were still waiting for others from the shore to join them.
    Funnily this time only one penguin came forward from the group and while looking at the elevated Dias she did not wait for others, but slowly went into the burrow. I thought it look like a little bit tired and older. may be she was given permission to go and rest, without waiting for others.
      The others slowly followed the leader while the one who was guarding them on the elevated portion of the earth was waiting for others to come.
       I found a great resemblance of respectable families of the human beings. What makes them so serene and sober and quietly maintaining their dignity of respect and concern for one another?? Why they are not pushing others in selfish greed and thirst for authority?  How could they cherish the same ancient pomp and glory of disgruntlement? By being so what do they achieve..unlike in this barbaric world of greed and covetousness, if only I had chance to be one of them , then only I might understand /for what higher principles of life they took chances for and stood for?
    Find life at its best, and you will find it in creation of God.........The Heavens declare the glory of God.....Day after day they pour forth speech,;  .....They have no speech, they use no words; No sound is heard from their mouth  yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.