I’ve posted this article on LinkedIn as well, hoping to reach out to as many people as I can. If you’re on LinkedIn, you can use the button above to view it there.
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with a 24-year-old colleague, and it left me feeling humbled. The opportunity left me feeling blessed. Here’s the story…
International Day of Disabled Persons is celebrated on the 3rd of December. I work in an organisation which is truly a champion of D&I and hires individuals based on their capabilities without any form of discrimination. To mark this international event, I was part of a team which is creating some multimedia assets, and that led me to meet up with this girl – all of 24 – who possesses more worldly wisdom than someone almost twice her age (yours truly).
Pragati – that’s her name – has a curious condition. A condition that has no known cure. Her body does not absorb calcium, and as a result, her bones are weak and brittle. Her legs curve out – she walks on the sides of her feet, not the soles. Yes, her body is flawed. She, however, considers that a minor hitch in the grand scheme of things.
Her spirit is strong. Her energy and verve are contagious. Her acceptance is enduring. And she is inspiring!
The first thing that struck me when I met her was her warm, disarming smile, as she introduced herself. She wasn’t uncomfortable or intimidated – it’s as if she was ready to share her story with anyone who was ready to listen.
“I’m extremely chatty!” was her opening statement. And true to her word, she talked nineteen to a dozen. Within a short period of time, we learnt that this condition runs in her family – her father and her younger sister are both affected by it. “My mother and brother are ‘normal’,” she clarifies. Her younger sister works in our organisation too, and Pragati asked her to spare five minutes to join us. While waiting for her sister, Shubhangi, Pragati chirped on. Their family hails from Nagpur, and these two girls travel down to Pune by bus or train every month to attend office for five days – a journey of 13-16 hours at the bare minimum. The five days of working from office is not a special benefit – it’s what all of us do.
Pragati is a two-time National gold medalist in wheelchair shotput – her winning streak was interrupted by the advent of COVID-19. She has completed her post-graduation in Commerce. Shubhangi holds three gold medals for shotput, and one for wheelchair marathon. She, too, is a Commerce post-graduate.
We were now joined by Shubhangi. To break the ice, I suggested we get some coffee, so we headed to the pantry and got ourselves coffee. It was charming to see how the sisters got along – they were laughing, joking and generally playful all the time! Shubhangi had only one gripe – “If you had told me earlier that I would be on camera, I would have worn something nice!” she proclaimed. And the sisters broke into a peal of laughter.
Shubhangi didn’t have much time to spare – so, after coffee, she left. As she walked away, Pragati turned to us and said “She has a hard time walking – I’ve had my knees operated, but she hasn’t. So, it hurts her a lot more than it hurts me. At times, she just topples over. But… that’s okay – she gets up and continues.” This was a matter-of-fact statement.
I was taken aback. “Why don’t you use a wheelchair?” I asked rather insensitively. She wasn’t offended. She giggled. “We’re going to be completely immobile and wheelchair-bound in a few years. We want to experience the joys of walking for as long as we can!” she replied.
On being asked what she considers her biggest strengths, Pragati replied “I’m adaptable, confident… and I love my life!”
Her level of acceptance was amazing. And her spirit to live; to achieve greatness, was inspiring. We talked for some more time, completed our shoot, and went our separate ways. Leaving me feeling extremely humbled.
I realised how easy it is to whine about insignificant, inconsequential things. I do it all the time. We do it all the time. Smallest things like a broken fingernail or a receding hairline upset us. While here were two girls who had made peace with their permanent condition, and were not only living their lives, but living them to the fullest!
I felt honoured to have had this conversation. For long, it has been my moral stand that all people are equal – after this conversation, I realised it is not the case. I had wanted to write a post denouncing the “Us and Them” attitude we, the so-called ‘normal’ people have, and wanted to propagate the concept of “Us and Us”. After meeting up with Pragati and Shubhangi, I have reached the conclusion that it is indeed “Us and Them” – where, they are the more evolved ones. The have learnt the art of acceptance and imbibe the virtue of forgiveness. They are truly special – the real heroes among us. If at all there is something amiss, it’s the fault in our stars for considering them different…
I know I have not made any difference in Pragati’s life, in the short while that we spent together. But, she has left an indelible mark on mine.
If you’re interested in viewing the interview, it’s here.
Potholes in the Sky 