LIVE INSPIRATION

“I am unjust, but I can strive for justice. My life’s unkind, but I can vote for kindness. I, the unloving, say life should be lovely. I, that am blind, cry out against my blindness,” said Vachel Lindsay

Every day we meet a lot of people. Some bring joy and some sorrow.

Today I met a rather unusual girl who filled my heart, mind and soul with happiness. She has travelled to Karwar as an NSS member, she is a national level runner, a Bharthanatyam dancer, lives on her own in Bangalore city, resides in a visually impaired hostel accompanied by her fellow friends, performs her chore work with great precision, loves reading, she is a techno savvy and enjoys net connectivity as any other youngsters of her age, her ambition is to lead women’s army.

Nandini, visually impaired from birth, nineteen year old girl, studying HEP’s in St Joseph’s College has gathered courage to make her life seem meaningful. She has lived in Bangalore for almost 7 years without her parents, as her parents live in a village. She says she loves studying and to pursue her studies she has to live away from her parents, although she misses them dearly.

She has her own laptop which is designed especially for blind people. She reads, writes, paints and also chats with her friends on Facebook. It’s a delight to watch her do her own work without much effort which sometimes make a well challenged person abash.

I was walking in the UG building, when Nandini hurl passed me in a staggering manner. She kept her bag on the chair, pulled out some money from her bag, climbed the five staircase  canteen building, returned with a south Indian thali, all this with  utter precision, without being  escorted nor a walking stick  in her hand. I was awestruck by her effortless struggle in doing her mundane chores.

Hesitatingly, I went up to her, introduced myself and told her, ”I noticed you are unable to see. So, I thought I should offer help. With a smile on her face, she replied,” I’m glad you noticed not many people perceive my blindness”.

Totally amused by her achievements, indecisively I asked another question, “Aren’t you afraid to live alone in this city with your blindness?” She laughed before saying, “Afraid! What should I be afraid of? People around me are frightened of me. I have nothing to be scared of.” 

This statement and her achievement is the most live inspiration I have ever seen. Nandini could clearly see, even without her eyes that her future is bright and life full of hope.

All I have to say is, “There is one life, make it meaningful.”

Preethi Ravi 

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