Learnings from the Shepherd

Recently we were privy to nature’s ongoing artistry and finesse in painting the horizon of New Zealand in a kaleidoscope of colours every few minutes. Each scene on the ground and in the sky was picture perfect and breathtaking. As we drove through the beautiful countryside, the topography changed every few miles. The colours of the flowers, foliage, grass, mountains, skies, clouds etc. varied from pinks and crimsons to violets and ultramarines to cadmium and rusty yellows. All were impregnated with an unreal mystique.

The temperature varied all day and the requirement of clothes in a single day, ranged from a T-shirt to a puffer jacket. The only way to stay protected was to dress in layers and shed or add clothing as per the whims and fancies of the weather God. Everyone carried jackets, caps, pullovers, umbrellas and rain-jackets in the boot of their car.

The orderliness in the culture and habits of the people was exemplary. The traffic moved like clockwork. No one honked or overtook. No one was in a hurry. I wonder who taught these people to respect each other and say ‘thank you’ to someone who gave them the right of way. There was so much to learn in the little gestures that were second nature to the Kiwis.

The quaint little hamlet of Queenstown, had the most picturesque lakes and snowcapped mountain ranges. The flora and fauna was completely different from what we see in India. A boat ride on a 112 year old vessel called Ernslaw took us to a farm across the lake to see farm animals including Alpacas in their natural habitat. A big and bulky sheep with a heavy coat of wool was being sheared and emerged as a slim and skinny animal!

A shepherd called Quint told his dog to go up the hill and round up the sheep and bring them down. The dog with a sleek silhouette sprinted up the hill at lightning speed and repeatedly ran round and round the sheep, till they started running downwards towards the shepherd’s pen. If the sheep strayed, the dog would chase them towards the path until they ran into the wooden gate held open by the shepherd. Once in, the shepherd locked the gate.

The shepherd petted and patted the dog and said, “Good boy!” The shepherd addressed the audience thus, “This dog emulates the way of life we practice in New Zealand. He doesn’t bark at or bite the sheep. He just runs around them keeping a safe distance, but he gives them ‘that look’. And that’s the way we groom our children. We don’t hit them or rebuke them. We just give them ‘that look’ which is enough to teach them the difference between right and wrong!

That reminded me of my father. Daddy never hit or scolded us. But we were scared of him because of ‘that look’ in his eyes. When I became a mother he told me, “Bachhon ko aankh ka ishaara hi kaafi hota hai. The expression in your eyes should tell them what you want them to do.”

As the shepherd cuddled and hugged the dog, he said, “A job well done, is reward enough for the work. We don’t give any prizes for doing good work. And that’s how we in New Zealand groom our kids too!” Now that was something!

It is said that we should learn and imbibe goodness from wherever we find it. This time the learnings were from the land of Kiwis.

I believe that India has a rich cultural heritage, spiritual wisdom, strong family values; but in etiquettes, habits and discipline especially on the road, we do lag behind. The entire society’s conscience has to be awakened for us to become a more disciplined and responsible society. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Discipline is the hall mark of intelligent living.

This piece has been published in the Acadnews Network in January, 2025 and can be viewed here https://acadnews.com/learnings-from-the-shephard/