UP Syndrome.

UP Syndrome.

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...