Of incidents that leave an impression.

11th May: 6:30 pm

We organised a meet for the students who have been made admission offers by IIM B at campus today along with similar meets being organised at 4 other cities in India.
We were escorting the 60 odd students from the academic block to the venue for the lunch.

I had noticed this guy with crutches at the beginning of the meet.
As we headed towards the lunch venue (which was quite a distance), I asked the guy if he'd be able to walk all the way.
He said it was difficult but he did not want to miss the interaction over lunch and so would come. He stopped by to speak to another batchmate and I moved on.

After a while, I looked back to see this guy walking alone.
I asked the students with me to move on and I waited for him.
We decided to go back and get his vehicle as the venue would have been a long walk.
He would sit down in between esp. when he would have to climb a few stairs.
He said that walking is fine but climbing stairs is difficult.
We chatted in between about his background, the college etc etc.
He looked around the tree filled campus and said that once here he will resume his walks.

And, then, he said something all of a sudden which will stay with me.
He said, "I have not been like this since childhood. I mean mine is not a polio inflicted physical handicap. In my final year of engineering, I had a very bad fall doing some exercises. I broke my back, had a spinal cord injury and was on bed for 6 months. This is surely better than those days. Atleast, I am independent."

Someone said, inspiration some times greets us in the most unexpected of circumstances.

As I sat with him for lunch, a thought crossed my head. Given that just an incident is what turned him from a normal human being to a differently abled. And that he was and could have easily been just like any of us. Would not it be very natural for him to curse bad luck? And feel cross about life.

Maybe, it was. But looking at him and his attitude, I think that was n't the case. He seemed to have put the past behind and said 'yes' to what is.
May the force be with him always and with each one of us.