Who has disability?

It was a glorious morning in India. The sun diffused shades of yellowish pleasant red to the sky and the trees seemed to be too fresh and green dancing in the melody of the winds. He was sitting one the ash coloured bench of city’s favourite park, enjoying the gentle breeze touching his hair. Around him, he heard the children playing, the birds chirping, foot steps of men walking around him and women discussing their challenges at home and work.

Minutes later, he sensed the aroma of a woman’s scent that distinctly increased as seconds ticked. He heard her breathing heavily and thudding something on the bench. Then the weak bench creaked and from its feel he understood he was not alone sitting on it.

“Hi”, she said. He would have compared the voice to that of a nightingale but was bored to, as that’s a comparison he read too many in poems in his young days.

“Hi”, he replied with a smile.

“It is a lovely morning isn’t it?” she asked and he could read her smile in excitement.

“Certainly, it is and I am sure you are excited to feel it.”

“Yes, of course. Who wouldn’t love to see this place this morning?”

He never stopped smiling and asked her “Tell me. What do you see?”

That’s when she realized what she hadn’t seen. Regretting what she had said to him, oblivious if she had hurt him, uncertain of what he would feel about things she was to say, she replied in a low voice “I see a beautiful sky coloured pleasant red, I see people happy here, children playing and enjoying with all energy, the green fresh trees and …. And I just continue to see a lot of good things around.”

He was still smiling.

And she continued “I am sorry. I hope I have not hurt you. I didn’t know you were blind.”

He replied as a he picked his hat that was resting beside him and wore it,“Neither am I hurt nor am I blind. To tell you why i am not hurt, I don’t need to see these green trees or happy faces because I have seen them in the past. But from this gentle breeze that makes my hair dance, I can feel how beautiful my surrounding is. From the laughter of the children around, I can feel how happy they are. From the strong footsteps of the men walking in the park here, I can feel their determination to live healthy and from the voices of these women talking, I can feel their relief of taking break in this lovely morning from their daily routines. Now let me tell you why I am not blind. I see nomore men spitting on the roads. I don’t see the eyes of men teasing young women. Neither do I see people bribing all officials nor do I see people breaking the road rules. Moreover, I don’t see slothful citizens drunk on the road and unclean footpath with wastes thrown only by our country’s citizens. These aren't things that only I don’t see. These are things nobody sees. Why should I be labeled blind then? I am just equal to any person with no disability.”

And after he picked up his stick he added “I have eyes that don’t see, you people here have mind and hearts that don’t see. I don’t wear black glasses because I am already in the dark and you wear one, that is not black; not even seeable, to darken your mind and hearts. May be, that means that I am not equal but superior to you all.”

He started walking and she was looking at him with feelings one could never describe and the last she heard from him as he walked away from her was a tune curved to the words….”oh my people, oh my citizens, when are you ever going to learn…”