Friday 9 April 2010

Living in Hell?

Ever seen before a person who is on a wheelchair, appearing without legs, and without hands? There's probably thousands around the world who currently exist in this state, wheelchair-bound, with no limbs at all to control. This was what I saw today on the bus.

She might not be the first person I've seen who has lost limbs, but it's the way her family and her regard life the first I've seen personally. Granted it is not rare to see a person who lost limbs in Singapore (I've seen many near Kuan Im temple hoping for kind souls to spare money to them), but it's the first time I saw one sitting on a wheelchair in the bus. Nowadays (since 3 or 4 years ago), buses have additional space for wheelchair-bound people to board.

This lady is totally sitting-standing on her wheelchair. The only visible limbs left are her upper arms (a small extension from her shoulders is all that's left). But this didn't stop her from carrying things, nor disable her totally to take something out from a bag (she used the remaining portions of her limbs to do so!). I noticed someone sitting opposite her talking to her, whom I assume is her family member. Both of them didn't talk in sombre or sad tone. Instead, they were smiling away as they speak, while the other is taking care of her kid.

Perhaps imminent death might be possible for the lady, but she is not daunted by fears of it. Rather she is happy that she can continue life as though nothing much occured except limitations to her movement, and of course wouldn't it be nice to see someone close who had the potential to live a life she would never have, in the form of the babe her family member was holding onto? I believe she may be living in what most of us would consider as a living hell, but to her it is probably a heavenly life she's living. What could be worse than what she's through now?

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