HandiCAPPED

We keep looking for exciting times so much that we take our normal days for granted. Going for a movie, walking at a park, dinner at a restaurant. This doesn't seem trivial. But here are people who have to take extra steps and plan extensively just to buy groceries from the corner shop. For them, having a meal at a crowded restaurant feels like climbing Mt Everest. Here is a story of my friend Sravya, where she had to experience such moments for a couple of moments, which completely changed her perspective towards the Handicapped.

The Injury

Sravya always likes to be productive. The sense of achievement is what gives her a good sleep every night. For such a woman came a day of utter despair that she couldn't walk for months due to an injury to her leg. Bedridden was she, unable to move even for a bottle of water. There always had to be a person with her to help as even a slight movement might increase the days of her rest. hence, started the injured journey months come by.

Looking forward to it

For the first month, she had to be bedridden completely out of the outside world. So, she was looking out for the day of freedom. Friends came home frequently to cheer her up. But the freedom of movement was at the top. At last, came the day where she could move out of that stagnant room. Additionally, the Doctor suggested that she has to move to heal faster. Enthrilled, on her birthday, went to a movie with friends. Something else started thrashing the happiness. The spotlight.

Chaos

Not the spotlight of every stranger around her getting excited to see her, but the weird looks most gave her looking as if it was her fault that she had come to public not in full health. Those looks hurt more than the injury itself. Sheer confidence that took for her to come out even in a fragile state; no one could understand. Less a Spotlight, More an Outcast. Similar looks when she went for lunch; People halting their meal and peaking just to see what is the problem with her. This went on and on for weeks, when she started being skeptical about going to a crowded place at all. Here are some of her thoughts on how this affected her, and how everyone can help.

A different perspective

She had experienced that travelers are either immersed in their tasks not observing around or casual enough to create a spotlight on random strangers. Handicapped are desperate to lead a normal life like every other, but a lot of infrastructure is not built to handle such situations, and not enough people are thinking positively to give space. Change in infrastructure is out of reach, so she's asking people for a bit of change in their daily lives. Handicapped (or 'Abnormal' as some say) would like to lead a normal life too, would like to do stuff which makes them happy too, and would need to use public transport to travel too. Not all people can afford a car just to go for a stroll. She expects something simple from everyone; To be vigilant when you are in public, and To be patient if someone's not as fast as you. Handicapped would love to be with people without such a huge spotlight on them every time they are in a crowd. She expects people to empathize with the not-so-normal.

Add-on

I couldn't agree more with her. Millions of people board metro and public buses thinking about their tasks or the day, not thinking about how their actions at that moment affect others around them. Even more, people go on pilgrimages and don't even care how they treat others just to get a couple of seconds more time. We of course are busy, but end up ruining other's days in the process. Just a bit of patience while getting on an escalator, and a smile to someone who doesn't feel involved in a crowd would make our day better too.

Relief

Sravya had now recovered enough to get back to normal days. She made some changes to her days though. Rather than trying to be productive even while traveling to her office, she now sits back and enjoys the sunshine. She started experiencing small things (like going out of the house and sitting on stairs for a bit) with more happiness. Not the last, she is being conscious when in public, to give people a bit more space And of course, she started smiling more.

"If you are not able to do something you love, find an alternative. Heading the life shouldn't stop"

- Sravya