How many times have each one of us seen the picture on facebook claiming “if every man in India donates his eyes upon dying, the country will be miraculously free of blind population”. The quote as they say is based upon factual data collected by the government. Even if government records were to trust by, actual realization of a mass drive to get rid of blind population is far to happen in the present scenario. So what is it that keeps blind men going in their lives? What would you do if you lost your eyesight due to an accident during an otherwise normal day? Would you go into depression, give up the pursuit of life, try to give up life altogether? A lot many of us, you’d be surprised by the number, would answer in the affirmative.
From the viewpoint of a blind man, the world is not as hurting as one would think it would be. That’s one thing I learnt upon visiting a ngo in Jamnagar. Yes there is sorrow in their lives but there is also hope. They live a life whose essence is simplicity. So much so that I wonder if an alien were to come and pick a few of the human race, before the world ends, it would pick a blind man. For the blind live their life, how every other human aspires to exist. In contention with your surroundings and your bearings, finding peace and joy in the beauties they do not see.
I wont bore you with philosophy. Let me share my experience with you guys. I found out about this ngo from my friend who wanted to do something properly responsible as an adult in life. Well so did I want to like everybody else. When she approached it, I decided to go through with her idea for a change. We went to visit this ngo (AVTK) just to get an idea of how we could be helpful to them. Upon getting there, I met the director who looked perfectly welcoming and fine to me. Until his phone rang and that was when I realized he was blind too. Don’t know why but that came as a big surprise for me. You don’t expect a man who seems pretty normal and with whom you have been talking to for 15 min to suddenly turn blind! Anyways he arranged for a tour of his ngo.
What you did notice while going around was not a lot of blind men, but how they were busy with their own work. Weaving fabric, making chair seats, and what not. And all this while cracking their daily jokes and smiling. Commenting it wasn’t so hot that day to work. Damn, my shirt was fully wet jus from standing. As I moved around, I noticed the ease with which they moved their hands. Feeling their way, using their 6th sense, around machines I would take weeks to master with my eyes open. One word quickly shot to my mind- sustainability. What they produce in their workshop is sold outside to supplement the government grant they receive to keep their life going. Not that their motive is to just keep going. They have advanced too with changing times. Now they are capable of using cell phones and reading textbooks from computers. That’s another thing I learnt. How I could help them by translating their books using some computer software into their language. And no, it’s not GoogleTranslate. Obviously I didn’t have much money to aid them with financially. Even my highest capacity of donation was way below the income they made themselves for their ngo.
I went there to find a way to help them somehow for my own inner good. When I left, I was leaving with an experience that was going to help me through life. Yeah am still wondering how to help them properly. Or if they even need my help. They seem more satisfied in life than I have ever been. What keeps me going is to find that inner peace. To get where those blind men seem to be since a very long time. I wont say I’m jealous. I am just thankful for the peace, not pity, induced by them in me.
