The almighty created this world and he made humans the wisest and the smartest of all his creations. He gave them eyes to see this beautiful world, hands to work for making a livelihood, legs to walk on this earth, lips to speak the truth and endless blessings to live on this planet earth. He gave humans a beautiful heart to love each other, to care for each other, to help each other. This nature has its own way of working, it has a unique way of expressing things. This is literally a miracle how a new life is developed in the body of a woman. It is unbelievable how the different parts of body develop and a baby, a new life is brought to this world. People are born, people die, but everyone is unique in his own way. When a baby is born, his parents start dreaming of a better life and a bright future of the baby. However, sometimes the dreams of the parents are shattered when they come to know that their child is not born normal. He lacks some important features to live on this earth. This is called disability by birth. Children who are born disable live difficult lives. They have to confront the world. Many of these children live their whole lives with this disability. In a very few cases, the baby is cured and can live a normal life. Children, who are born with a disability, can be brought up in such a manner that they can learn things without their disabilities interrupting their learning process. For instance, if a child is born blind, he can be taught with a help of Braille system. Similarly, if a child is born deaf or dumb he can be taught the sign language. However in some cases babies are born with multiple disabilities . In such cases, teaching of child is a bit difficult but surely not impossible. It’s the 21st century and nowadays there are many devices which help such children. However in the early times, it was difficult to teach such children but it wasn’t impossible. The best example is Helen Keller. Born as a blind, deaf and dumb girl, Helen’s parents did not lose hope and they appointed a teacher who taught Helen in such a way that Helen herself wrote a number of books. Amongst them, the story of my life is the most popular book of Helen, in which she describes how she spent her life with such a disability. She writes about her difficulties and sorrows but at the same time believes that she is blessed, even though her disability distinguished her from the normal people, still she did something that most normal people couldn’t do .
There are some people who because of their destiny and sometimes even carelessness become disabled. Nowadays, we see a lot of young boys showing doing stunts on motorbikes and scooters on roads. They think that they can impress everyone who is looking at them but they don’t realize that they are trying to impress people by putting their lives at risk. There are many who after their carelessness remain paralyzed for the rest of their lives. Some people lose their eyesight, burst or harm their ear drum, fracture their spinal cords and some even become paralyzed. When a person who moves freely without any help, meets with an accident and becomes paralyzed for the rest of his life, how hopeless he would be! The families of such people remain in a shock for the rest of their lives. Their families suffer the most. It is not easy to see your loved one in pain, especially that person who once used to be completely normal, it’s unbearable pain. I understand, because I have gone through this pain. The pain of seeing my father on the wheelchair for months together. The pain of seeing him walking a few steps only with sticks since last 5 years. My father who once was independent, who once used to walk freely, who could pick me up and cradle me in his arms. My father! A media professional who used to travel the whole country alone for his work hasn’t even gone to the market alone since last 5 years. It was a freezing cold morning on 31st December 2012 when my dad went to the 3rd floor of our house to see the construction work. He went on his own, who knew that he would meet with such an accident which would snatch his freedom for the rest of his life. He fell down from the 3r floor and down to the 2nd floor with all his weight on the feet. He became unconscious and was rushed to the hospital. I was in grade 4 at that time. My 2 brothers were 5 and 7 year old and we could not understand what was happening. In no time, all our relatives came to the hospital and the three of us sat in a corner completely confused. We didn’t even understand what was happening. Everyone was crying, and yelling which really scared me. My father was taken for CT scan where we came to know that his D12 vertebra was fractured with spinal cord compression. Honestly speaking, I took it as a normal fracture which would heal in a few months but alas it has been 5 years and my hopes of the fracture to be healed still lies deep there in my heart. My father had a surgery and I can never forget the situation in my home. I heard someone saying that my father may not be able to walk and that’s the time I realized that my father was going through something terrible. Its 2017 and my father is 85% paralyzed. Its not that we haven’t tried. We took him to the best nerve specialists, my mother took him everywhere from Kashmir to kanyakumari but there was no progress in his movement. He now has been issued a lifetime disability certificate with 85% disability. My mother took the entire responsibility. From learning to drive the vehicle she never was required when my father was fine, she manages everything not only at home & outside. Today I salute my father for being such a strong man. Even though he cannot move freely, he fulfills all my needs. He is a perfect father and he never makes me feel that he is disabled. He pays my school fees, he buys me clothes, he buys me everything I ask him for and he always tries to keep us happy and he literally does. I swear I couldn’t be happier even if I had a billionaire father. My father works hard for me and my family and he never makes us feel depressed or unhappy at his part. He is a person with a great heart and a superb will power. I am the luckiest girl to have a father like him. He has taught me how to confront the most difficult times. He became my role model after that accident. Not only him but all those who despite their disability work hard for their family and never lose hope.
Not able to drive even an automatic vehicle, my father has brought a 3 wheeler scooter and after he brought it he got a new confidence. Still there are some people who look at him with sarcasm in their eyes . Honestly, I don’t give a damn to those people. I go to the market with my dad, and I sit proudly on that scooter. I think I would not have been proud enough sitting in a Lamborghini or a Mercedes than I feel while sitting on that scooter. Today is the international day for disabled people; I salute and admire all those who are disabled, whether by birth or became due to some accidents. You guys are great. With the hope that all those who are disabled will be treated with equal respect, let us celebrate this day with great energy and enthusiasm.
Rakshnda Rafique is a class 9th student of Presentation Convent Hr. Sec & can be mailed at rakshanda9th@gmail.com
