LIFE's LITTLE OBSCURITIES!

There are times when everything seems to be going against you. Your work is in the pits your relationships seem to end and your parents think you are good for nothing. You feel as if you are alone at night in the tropical jungles of Africa. I was in such a state of no hope. I had failed miserably in my interviews my resume was not even accepted at half the places. And even the gods seemed to be testing my patience. Why me, God ? Why only me! What had I done to desrve this? Life was completely unfair.

Completely disillusioned and frustrated, I went to see Dr. Sajiv Adlakha a hearing specialist for consolation and sympathy. It was there I guess, I picked up on the ambiguities of the failings of life and disability is a very relative term. What you think is your disability might be the very force behind your greatest ability. What ever makes you feel unlucky might be a source of envy for others. And of course nobody is perfect. We are all infallible, erring humans.

I entered Dr. Adhlakha's clinic. He was talking to a small girl. Seeing me, he motioned me to take a seat opposite him.

The girl was about five years old. She wore pallets in her hair and smiled sweetly at me. For all the troubles in the world, I just couldn't help smiling back ! What a lucky age ! I thought. No tensions, No responsibilities, Just plain simple fun.

Slowly; smilingly; she opened her school bag, took out her notebooks and showed her scribbles to my friend. My friend looked at her admiringly; and she proudly showed him each and every scribble and painting she had drawn that day.

Adults sometimes tend to be nostalgic about their lives. A child often brings back memories of their own childhood, instills those desires to be transported back to that age of friends, play, small joys and small sorrows an age where there are no storms to face no rivers to cross just a clear large meadow of lush green grass in the springtime sun..

I was brought back into my senses by her loud laugh. She had just propped up a candy into her mouth and reached out to grab the ones on the table with both her hands. Swiftly she put them into her pocket. From her face  it looked as if she had just captured the whole universe into her small fist.

Then out came a little thing from her bag which looked like a Tiffin box. Opening it with much effort she took out 2 hearing aids of which, she deftly opened the small flaps and then put in the cells.

And then, holding her hair with one hand put the aid behind the ear. She repeated the action for the other ear. Reaching behind the ear, she adjusted the volume of her aids and then corrected the whistling sound of the aids by blocking her ears and slowly releasing the pressure. I was amazed to see her diligence at effortlessly adjusting those aids.

I looked at my friend with wide questioning eyes. His expression told me that she was partly deaf. She had learned to handle her hearing aids even before she had learned to write or brush her teeth or tie her shoelaces. And she had decided to go on with her life. A glance at her report conveyed that she was deaf for life and she as a result might not even be able to speak properly! But here
she was in her own small sweet world of innocence, dignity & laughter getting on with life, having confidence, resilience and a dogged determination to fight all that impedes her way to a normal fun filled living. I left the clinic without a word and headed for the church. For once I wanted to thank the Almighty for his blessings!!