Will you be my eye?
Stroll along the covered walkway linking Jurong East MRT station and The Entertainment Center, it’s not hard to spot the visually challenged either selling tissue or crooning a tune for some donation. They are there almost every day and a few days ago, I asked Peng Kong, “Why do they have to do such things to earn a living?” Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not implying that selling tissue or basking is wrong or a shameful way of earning a living but why can’t they do other jobs?
Peng Kong answered me, “They are blind. What can they do?”
Take a moment to ponder, what can they do?
They can think. They can talk. They can walk. They can work with their hands. They can do what a normal people can do except for seeing with their own eyes. That is the only thing that they can’t do.
Heard of Erik Weihenmayer? The first blind mountaineer to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 24 2001.
Or Helen Keller? The blind and deaf woman who triumph against all odds and dedicate her life advocating for people with disabilities.
Or Louise Braille? The inventor of Braille.
The list goes on.
There’s this visually challenged man who has been joining us in our church service. To the younger ones, he is known as Uncle Abraham and a month ago, he shared his testimony with us. Uncle Abraham became blind when he was 32 and despite that went on to become an insurance agent, supporting his family with the money that he earns. The most common question that people asked is, “How can a blind man sell insurance?”
What I want to say is this; sometimes it is the “How-Can-A-Blind-Man” doubts and the expectation of others that cripples a disabled person, more than his/her disabilities, to function normally. Conquering Everest, inventing Braille, selling tissues, singing, whatever it is, we can do it and in doing so display a undying spirit and strength that is both admirable and inspirational.
Just be our eyes and guide us and we’ll show you what we can achieve.
Peng Kong answered me, “They are blind. What can they do?”
Take a moment to ponder, what can they do?
They can think. They can talk. They can walk. They can work with their hands. They can do what a normal people can do except for seeing with their own eyes. That is the only thing that they can’t do.
Heard of Erik Weihenmayer? The first blind mountaineer to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 24 2001.
Or Helen Keller? The blind and deaf woman who triumph against all odds and dedicate her life advocating for people with disabilities.
Or Louise Braille? The inventor of Braille.
The list goes on.
There’s this visually challenged man who has been joining us in our church service. To the younger ones, he is known as Uncle Abraham and a month ago, he shared his testimony with us. Uncle Abraham became blind when he was 32 and despite that went on to become an insurance agent, supporting his family with the money that he earns. The most common question that people asked is, “How can a blind man sell insurance?”
What I want to say is this; sometimes it is the “How-Can-A-Blind-Man” doubts and the expectation of others that cripples a disabled person, more than his/her disabilities, to function normally. Conquering Everest, inventing Braille, selling tissues, singing, whatever it is, we can do it and in doing so display a undying spirit and strength that is both admirable and inspirational.
Just be our eyes and guide us and we’ll show you what we can achieve.
posted by keratoconusgirl @ 11:04 PM
1 Comments:
When there's a will, there's a way. =)
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