“A PICTURE is worth a thousand words.” A grade four Balbharti environmental studies text book of Maharashtra state board has a catchy cover page which depicts a beautiful environment and happy children enjoying with a special child. It is a very thoughtful cover to impart empathy and promote inclusive education in schools. But at the same time, it’s very difficult to manage emotions when it happens in the real world in front of your eyes!

While experiencing anaesthesia induced temporary loss of sensation, I was pained on thinking about paralytic patients. It’s true that we don’t value our blessings when we are blessed with everything. The child in the picture is a reality in our lives. In the uncertainties of life, the child who would run on the ground was slowly confined to a wheel chair due to severe problems.

Now the world looks totally different for the child. If it was running with other kids yesterday, its simply observing them from a distance today. His entry on a wheel chair, his movement below the big wall poster quote in the school, ‘The trouble you suffer will give you the strength for tomorrow’ and his position for assembly near the idol of Goddess evokes a deep pain from my soul. The assistance from the buddy and wish from all in chorus make him happy. I stand tall on two legs in front of him though not tall and equal with his maturity to understand life’s bitter truth! What next for me? Preaching empathy to the world? Who am I to even empathise? Goddess smiles and tells me to look deep inside and do self introspection to find the unknown and untold areas of disability.

I don’t have anything to preach now. I am nobody to sympathise or even empathise. I am in my limits. In fact, I don’t have the standard and courage to understand the thought process, maturity level, suffering and his highest connectivity with the almighty.

We speak about infrastructure for the disabled. It’s only a small assistance to them. Infact, a complete conducive environment for the disabled is lacking in our country. Disabled are running from pillar to post for their basic rights. We have to sensitise all about the real needs of the so called disabled. The visible disabilities (rather abilities? are not for sympathy or even empathy but to introspect and empower by all ways and means. Disabled are differently able and we have to have a growth mindset to consider them without any pre-conceived ideas. It is about making everything accessible to all without any difference.

Stella Young once said, “My disability exists not because I use a wheel chair, but because the broader environment is not accessible.” It is about love and care. We have to provide them opportunities for socialisation. It is about understanding outside disabilities and inner abilities and vice versa. Various initiatives are required on multiple fronts to bring them to the mainstream. Above all, there should be a feeling of total preparedness. The life on this planet! It’s nothing other than balancing. As rightly said by Sandy Fussel, “Life is only about balance. Since I have only one leg, I understand that well.”