We seem to
be society that is ‘afflicted’ by the UP Syndrome.
Have you ever
noticed how we are almost obsessed with the word UP?
The
graphs...productions.. career... growth.. productivity... always goes UP.
Things need to look UP to be better… we have to grow UP … Move UP …Hold UP… Show
UP.. Take UP ….even when we pray ..we look UP ..
2 weeks ago I was
with a friend in Singapore who “accidentally” got called to work with children
with Down Syndrome, and she was wondering what might be the purpose of this
happening since she has no background in this kind of work.
Many years ago
when I worked with NASEOH (National Society for Equal Opportunities for the
Handicapped), an organization that works for providing equal opportunities for people
who are differently abled. I had also worked with Down kids, and still remember
the sheer joy of authentic honest uninhibited and innocent
conversations. And, what it brought out in me. I was a hard core Sales
person working in the highly competitive
IT sector, and didn’t think too much of “soft stuff”
One of my most
memorable conversations was with a young girl, Smita, 17 yrs. who would watch
me for a few days from a distance. When I went to talk to her, she just got up
walked away saying ‘I don’t feel like talking right now’.. no pretense..
A few days later
I approached her again, she was fascinated by my dangling earrings. I removed
and offered them to her, she took them without too much ado and wore them
happily beaming and .. just got up and went away.. leaving me a little perplexed.
A few week
later, when I was sitting and working, Smita walked up to me quietly…and
tentatively kept her hand on my shoulder ..I turned, she was a tall girl and I
had to look up. She stood there just looking at me ..I didn’t know how to
respond.. so, I kept silent and didn’t attempt to do anything.
After what
seemed like a few minutes… she smiled and said ..”Ab tum meri dost ho” – “Now,
you are my friend” - a declaration which filled me with so much pride…and
feeing of acceptance. These feelings also made me realize how much I had wanted
this.
I asked her, if
until then, was I not her friend? Without a moment of hesitation she said NO. I
was silent. She said she was ‘testing’ me… I said I didn’t understand what that
meant. She said, she wanted to be sure I meant to treat her as an equal. I must
admit, I was surprised, to hear her say those things…. She suddenly hugged me smiled
and left..
I sat there
thinking about how much this meant to her and me…the trust with which she
touched me was so honest … that I remember it in my body.
And I could not
help but wonder how many times have I been touched by such honesty in the
“Normal” world. Such acceptance.. simplicity…and openness.
And ‘they’
have a Down syndrome.
Maybe be we have
got it upside down…
How about if we
stop and Look at the world from that
perspective. Most of the beautiful things are come down.. the rain comes
down…the fruit falls down…river rushes down… when we show respect we bow down..
we fall in love.. when we feel tender we look down…when we pray we
do down …we meditate ..we slow down….
How about
adopting a Down Syndrome?
Maybe ..we can
also get to experience the Authenticity… The honesty.. The Simplicity.. The
faith .. The Unconditional Love .. The joy of sharing and caring??
Studies have
also shown, when around a Down Syndrome person, people become more patient.. loving..
slowed down.. empathetic.. and a few companies who have made it a policy to
employ some Down Syndrome employees have
reported the overall stress levels gone down, teams becoming more close knit
and over all atmosphere of Collaboration and looking out for each other.
And the “Graphs”
by the way went up J
Just thinking of
it makes me smile on the inside...
