Yesterday while I was on my way home in the North-East Line, I chanced upon a man suffering from cerebral palsy. He was wheel-chair bound but was independent. He stays in the same neighbourhood as I am apparently - both of us alighted at the same station.
Anyway, we were in the last carriage. Though it was less crowded, there was this group of students (I shall not name the school to safeguard its reputation) who were rather rowdy. Anyway, I left them as they were till a certain point.
You see, they took notice of the disabled man. They were sniggering and all. I happened to listen to a couple of comments being made on one repeated action of the man. Because of his condition, some of his fingers were bent and so happened, the only finger that was straight is his middle one. They kept laughing when that middle finger was pointed at the man himself. Then when he moved his hand, that same finger pointed at some of their friends and they commented that this man was gesturing a bad sign to them. One of them even scolded him. Obviously the poor individual was oblivious to the whole thing.
The last straw for me was when they started to gesture the bad sign towards the man. I raised my voice at 7 of them - 5 boys and two girls - and told them to stop all the nonsense. Of course they were not very pleased when I embarrassed them in public.
I knew one of them was very dissatisfied. I identified myself to this teen and asked him why he was showing such a black face and whether what I did was wrong. He kept quiet. I explained to him that he was fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a normal life. Then I noticed he had a cut on his hand and decided to use that as an example by illustrating a scenario in which that wound could have been infected and in due time turned gangrenous and then it has to be amputated. Of course this example is quite far-fetched but I asked him how would he have felt if he had only one arm? I told him that it was already tough for the man to have to fend for himself wherever he goes, why make things even harder for him by hurling insults?
I also told this student that the mere fact he was angry with me for having embarrassed him in public by chiding all of them showed very clearly that every one has feelings. If he had felt insulted by my rebuke, then surely that man could have been affected as well when they taunted him though he might not have shown it.
I asked this boy again whether what I said made sense and he nodded his head. I gave him a pat on the shoulder and allowed him to return to his friends. I warned the rest to behave themselves when in public. They were quiet. The train arrived at my station. Together with the man on the motorised wheel-chair, we alighted.
I am saddened by the students' lack of compassion. I know I cannot change whatever mindset an individual has towards those who are less fortunate but if I were to encounter an incident as the one I have just related and had to say something to him, then I would.
I shall stop here for now.
"Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless." Psalm 10:12
Anyway, we were in the last carriage. Though it was less crowded, there was this group of students (I shall not name the school to safeguard its reputation) who were rather rowdy. Anyway, I left them as they were till a certain point.
You see, they took notice of the disabled man. They were sniggering and all. I happened to listen to a couple of comments being made on one repeated action of the man. Because of his condition, some of his fingers were bent and so happened, the only finger that was straight is his middle one. They kept laughing when that middle finger was pointed at the man himself. Then when he moved his hand, that same finger pointed at some of their friends and they commented that this man was gesturing a bad sign to them. One of them even scolded him. Obviously the poor individual was oblivious to the whole thing.
The last straw for me was when they started to gesture the bad sign towards the man. I raised my voice at 7 of them - 5 boys and two girls - and told them to stop all the nonsense. Of course they were not very pleased when I embarrassed them in public.
I knew one of them was very dissatisfied. I identified myself to this teen and asked him why he was showing such a black face and whether what I did was wrong. He kept quiet. I explained to him that he was fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a normal life. Then I noticed he had a cut on his hand and decided to use that as an example by illustrating a scenario in which that wound could have been infected and in due time turned gangrenous and then it has to be amputated. Of course this example is quite far-fetched but I asked him how would he have felt if he had only one arm? I told him that it was already tough for the man to have to fend for himself wherever he goes, why make things even harder for him by hurling insults?
I also told this student that the mere fact he was angry with me for having embarrassed him in public by chiding all of them showed very clearly that every one has feelings. If he had felt insulted by my rebuke, then surely that man could have been affected as well when they taunted him though he might not have shown it.
I asked this boy again whether what I said made sense and he nodded his head. I gave him a pat on the shoulder and allowed him to return to his friends. I warned the rest to behave themselves when in public. They were quiet. The train arrived at my station. Together with the man on the motorised wheel-chair, we alighted.
I am saddened by the students' lack of compassion. I know I cannot change whatever mindset an individual has towards those who are less fortunate but if I were to encounter an incident as the one I have just related and had to say something to him, then I would.
I shall stop here for now.
"Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless." Psalm 10:12
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