OF THE BLIND AND THE SIGHTED

I cannot but feel mostly inferior when I see blind men and women. Mostly, though not always.

And I'm motivated by them, especially those with the cane in hand, making their way to somewhere. Home, maybe, or work-place, maybe too, but with a definite purpose. And they walk with a repertoire of songs in their mouths! Joyful of life, cheerful, not whining in regrets or self-pity. Ever met one who doesn't smile when you talk to them?

A case in point. At the shopping mall where my dear wife has her shop, there is a group of blind, (or nowadays called the visually-challenged or visually-impaired) men and women, about five of them, who brings cheer to the place whenever they walk past. They have an outlet in the mall too, rendering reflexology services to the public. I believe they want independence and dignity.

This group of blind people is led by one guy by the name of Hasidi Hassan. We just call him Shidi. Just about less than forty years old, Shidi became blind in both eyes when he was involved in an accident, about ten years ago.

"I knew I would be blind when blood spurted from both my eyes during the accident", he said to me when I asked whether he was born blind. He said it happened after he was returning home from a football (soccer) match. At the time he was employed with PROTON, (the Malaysian national car manufacturer) and he was one of the company's star players. And he played football not only for PROTON, but also with one of the states in Malaysia.

I know without him telling me, that it must have been a terrible time for him, a handsome man with fair complexion, to have lost one of the most important gifts for living a normal life. And when he left PROTON, I could imagine that it was perhaps a year or two of depression and self-whining, regretting an incident for which it had been ordained.

But then Shidi must have known that negativism will get one nowhere. He developed a positive attitude, filled perhaps with the knowledge that the Almighty, the Benevolent, the Merciful, who has taken the gift, will give back to him another gift that is meant only to a few - namely great courage to face life in the future. The gift of indefatigable courage to live life close to normality, just like the other vision-impaired persons in the past or those in the future, who were blessed and gifted and who had shown extraordinary courage in the face of adversity.

Having selected his future undertaking, Shidi was selected to go to China where he learnt the art and science of reflexology and acupuncture in a learning hospital there. After coming back to the country having spent some time practising his skills in China, he got himself accredited and obtained a certificate of proficiency as a masseur certified by the Malaysian Association of the Blind (MAB).

The Almighty in the Glorious Quran had said that he would test men according to their capability and strength. Well, the Almighty had definitely shown to me that Shidi had that extra capability and strength to live his life fully, perhaps better than I, or some other, could ever live, fully sighted.

Me, I cannot but think that I may not be able to do the things he had done, if I had been in his position. Maybe I would have opted to live my life doing nothing but begging, and depending on charity.

That's why I feel inferior in the presence of blind people. They seem so much stronger in living their lives with a great handicap.

The Almighty is All Knowledgeable and all Knowing. He knows what are good to each and everyone of us. So we cannot but be thankful to Him whether in adversity or in prosperity, with or without sight. He knows what He is doing, no question about that. And blessed will be to those who are thankful to Him, for He Blesses those who are patient with adversities.

In the beginning of this blog I said I almost always feel kind of inferior when I see these visually-impaired people. But mostly, not all the time. Because I do not feel inferior when I see those blind ones going round begging or selling cards for donation, accompanied by a fully sighted partner. No, not those beggars. I may sympathise with them, but I don't feel inferior.

I may donate to those who play music on the sidewalks, entertaining all and sundry with their usually heart-rending sad songs. But I think highest of those like Shidi, who prepare themselves for a vocation. Leading very close to an ordinary and normal life except of being not sighted.

In Temerloh, Pahang, there is training center where the visually impaired are taught various skills, including basket weaving and other traditional and local skills. They sell their finely crafted wares at the sunday markets, and to companies and sellers of local handicrafts.

Again I say that I only feel inferior to those like Shidi, who stand up against their adversity and inadequacy with dignity and pride as a human being. Independently making money by taking a job instead of begging and asking for donations.

Yet while in constraints, they still retain that character of a human being, always cheerful, happy and talkative, ever helpful and courteous.

They crack jokes, like once when my dear wife said to him when he was passing her shop, "Wah Shidi, cepat saja jalan"(Wow Shidi, that's a fast walk"). And he replied, "Dah nampak dah" ("Can see already"), although he was poking around with his cane. Really a great pun on words, him seeing or really having memorised the crooked path to his work place, only through his mind.

And sometimes he sings a bit loud while walking, and when someone asked him why he sings so loud while walking, his response is "Nanti orang tak nampak" ("people may not see me"), implying that the sighted ones might bump against him, instead of the other way round, especially around corners. Perhaps this is true as those with good eyesight sometimes move forward but are really groping in the light without looking in front of them.

Well, to people like Shidi, I say "What a life!", being blessed while in adversity. Living life cheerfully.

We never know, but perhaps people like Shidi, unlike the majority of the sighted ones, do not take adversity as a handicap or a failed predicament but just as another path of life, to be fully lived.

This is as it should be. We, the sighted ones, do have lessons to learn from those without sight.

Before I forget, those of you who are in Kuala Lumpur, who would want to meet Shidi, and get a really superb foot, body and other massages (I recommend it), he has his business set up at the following address :

Maju Therapy Zone, Lot No. 41 & 42, Souk Al-TAR, 2nd Floor, Maju Junction Mall, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.

He can be contacted at 013-364 5541 or 03-2693 3523 for appointments.

Well, life's like that. And life is short. Do make the best of it.