TREMENDOUS LESSON

TREMENDOUS LESSON
It was a sports stadium. Eight children stood ready at the starting point of the athletics track to participate in the running event.

“Ready! Steady! …” Bang!!!

As the pistol went off, all the eight girls started running.

Hardly had they covered ten to fifteen steps when one of the smaller girls slipped and fell down. She had hurt herself and was very obviously in pain. As all children would in such a situation, she started crying.

When the other seven girls heard her crying, they stopped running, stood for a while and turned back. All of them ran back to the place where the girl that had fallen down lay crying in pain – and perhaps disappointment.

One among the other seven girls bent down and did all she could to soothe the pain in the affected foot. Then, she picked up the little girl gently, kissed her lovingly and enquired, “Hasn’t the pain reduced somewhat?”

All the seven girls thereafter comforted the fallen girl and helped her stand up. Two of them held her firmly and all the girls joined hands. Then, they walked together to reach the winning post all at once.

The officials were shocked while the sound of the clapping of hundreds of spectators overwhelmed the stadium. Many eyes were moist as the event was touching enough to move even God to tears!

This happened recently in Hyderabad (India) at the sports meet hosted and conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health.

All these were special girls – spastic and autistic children – who had come to participate in this event from far and wide. All of them are mentally challenged – people whom we most insensitively call “retarded.” But look at the power they have – what tremendous lessons they are capable of imparting …

So, what did these eight girls teach this world?

Sympathy and/or empathy?
Teamwork?

Humanity?

Equality for all?

Successful people help others who are slow in learning so that they are not left far behind?

We can't ever do what those girls achieved … because we have so-called ‘normal’ and even ‘super’ BRAINS!!

But isn’t the multi-dimensional message that came out of what these little challenged girls accomplished together simply great and sublime?