when one door closes

When I applauded one 13 year old girl who was brilliantly articulating why Pakistan should sign the UN Charter on Disability, she had this to say, "We arenot aiming to be heroes. This is not a competition or a war. We are just asking for our basic rights as per the UN charter and legislation to enforce it.We want integration, equal treatment and opportunities in all walks of life; we are not looking for sympathy either. Every one remembers days like Valentinesand Halloween, while the day of disabled people, which is a national responsibility, seems to hold importance only for the ones who are directly affected".
'When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened forus'
Alexander Graham Bell's belief should be adopted as a guiding principle in life. At this point in time, when all around us seems dark and dreary, whenevery Pakistani is in a state of shock and confusion, Alexander Bell's statement shines as a beacon and shows a way out. When faced with injustice, weare told, knock on the doors of justice. But what if, already blindfolded, justice also turns a deaf ear? When you want to be heard, we are advised, bethe voice of the nation. The power of the pen, as well as the satellite waves, is supposed to be more powerful than the sword. But what if the pen is snatchedaway and the TV screens muted? Always do right and follow rules, we are instructed. But what if the rule book of the nation - the constitution - is itselfmauled? Always put the nation first, we are exhorted. But what if 'national interests' change faster than the seasons and are made synonymous with, ifnot subservient to, 'personal interest'? In these circumstances, one may be forgiven for just going with the flow?
It is in these times that we should draw inspiration from those who have faced even worse odds, who have had one door after another slammed in their facesand yet they have managed to see opportunity in the midst of adversity. As we observe the International Day of the Disabled today ― or rather as we celebratethe International Day of the Disabled - it would be instructive to review the lives of just a few of the differently-abled people. These real life heroeshave faced seemingly insurmountable odds without fear and have triumphed over adversity through struggle. And the purpose of their struggle was not theacquisition of wealth, fame or power either. They fought for acceptance, integration and inclusion in the society.
Temple Grandin, PhD in animal science and an assistant professor at the University of Colorado, was diagnosed with autism at the age of two and a half.She not only overcome her own difficulty but also became a spokesperson for autistic people the world over. Her book, "Thinking in Pictures" is acclaimedas an outstanding treatise on autism. She was also one of the challenged people who appeared in Larry King Live and was one of the "challenged" peoplefeatured in the best selling book, Anthropologist from Mars".
Marlee Matlin, though profoundly deaf, is a stand-up comedian and an actress and won an academy award for best actress for her film "Children of a lessergod" in 1986 (at age 21, the youngest actress ever to win in that category).
Tom Cruise, amongst the most talented actors in the world, battles with dyslexia, a learning disability. Despite this, he has won and has been nominatedfor several awards for best actor.
Stephen Hawking was Cambridge's first gravitational physics professor and then became Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the age of 35. At the age of21, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It attacks the nerves that control a body's voluntarymovements and affects walking, speaking, breathing, swallowing, etc. Doctors gave Hawking two years to live. Hawking has defied this timeframe and is stillworking.
Henry Holden contracted polio during the 1952 epidemic. He was four years old at that time. His disability has never stopped him from pursuing a path ofexcellence, even though he wears leg braces and uses crutches. In addition to acting, Henry is an athlete, stand-up comic and activist. Henry's athleticaccomplishments include downhill skiing, certified scuba diving, bowling a high score of 196 in league competition, flying gliders and single engine airplanesetc. Heather Whitestone. 'There she is Heather Whitestone of Alabama, USA... Miss America 1995'. Unlike other Miss America crown holders, Heather neveractually heard these words as she was crowned. Heather was the first person with a disability ever to be selected as Miss America. She had been deaf sincethe age of 18 months. Doctors told Heather's parents that she would never read beyond the third grade level, nor learn to speak
Beethoven. How many of us know that Beethoven composed some of his best symphonies after he became profoundly deaf. While the world acclaimed, he himselfcould hear neither the symphonies nor the applause.
There is an endless list of all those people who have never allowed their disabilities to become hurdles. We can see scores of Tom Cruises, Stephen Hawkingsor Helen Kellers amongst these boys and girls. Lack of opportunity and resources are the only stumbling blocks.
A step in the right direction was taken by the United Nations in 1999 when 3rd December was declared as the international day of the disabled people. TheDay was initially proclaimed in 1992 to commemorate the anniversary of the World Program of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by the GeneralAssembly to promote understanding about disability issues and to increase awareness of gains to be derived from integrating disabled persons into all aspectsof political, social, economic and cultural life. "Accessibility for all for the Millennium" was the theme for 1999.
The World Health Organization estimates that there are 600 million disabled people worldwide, about 10 per cent of the world population. Pakistan has thesame statistic, 10 per cent of all Pakistanis are differently-abled. It is estimated that about 80 per cent of all disabled people worldwide live in developingcountries. No matter which part of the world they are in, their lives are often limited by physical or social barriers.
The purpose of the International day of the disabled is to make people realize that disability is not just a medical condition; it effects the interactionbetween the person with impairment and environmental and attitudinal barriers he or she may face. The reasons for disability are always complex and canonly be understood within the context of societies and cultures. Especially in closed societies like ours, where the slightest deviation from the expectedand rigid norms renders a person " different", the plight of these people is even more agonizing.
A month or so ago, children from various schools in Pakistan took up the cause of their disabled countrymen and developed a petition to be presented tothe Prime Minister of Pakistan asking that Pakistan become a signatory to the UN Charter on Disability. It was heartening to see these young boys and girlstaking up such a noble cause. It is the same with disabled children themselves. They have a positive attitude towards life. Spending an hour with themis like a breath of fresh air.
When I applauded one 13-year-old girl who was brilliantly articulating why Pakistan should sign the UN Charter on Disability, she had this to say: "Weare not aiming to be heroes. This is not a competition or a war. We are just asking for our basic rights as per the UN charter and legislation to enforceit. We want integration, equal treatment and opportunities in all walks of life; we are not looking for sympathy either. Every one remembers days likeValentines and Halloween, while the day of disabled people, which is a national responsibility, seems to hold importance only for the ones who are directlyaffected".
Shall we continue to lament the closed doors we see around us, or shall we see the many others that are open and beckoning!
(Today is International Day of the Disabled)
The writer is a speech therapist and works with children and adults who have speech and language disorders. Email: sadaf_sh@hotmail.com Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=83985