Not long ago I was in line at a local pharmacy waiting to pick up a prescription. In front of me was a woman who was obviously visually impaired. She held a guide cane such as blind people often use to help them find their way and it was obvious that her eyes did not focus on any particular object.
When it was her turn at the counter, she said that she was looking for a particular over-the-counter medical product and needed help finding it. The young clerk told her to look on "Aisle Nine." The customer said politely, "I am afraid that I will not be able to find it. Would you be able to help me?" There was a long line and the clerk appeared frazzled.
When the clerk returned with the product, she held it up in front of the customer's face and said, "Is this what you want?" The customer, not being able to see, did not respond. I reached over and took the product and read the label to her. "Yes," she said, "That is it.' When the clerk asked her how she would like to pay, she said she would like to use her credit card, The clerk then said, "you need to swipe your card." Again, the customer held out her card but was unable to find where to swipe it. Again, I assisted her and finalized the transaction. The customer turned and, using her guide cane, began to find her way to the exit.
I don't mean to be critical of the young clerk. She had never dealt with someone who had to do things differently due to some disability. But, I ask myself, "Why are so many of us ill at ease around someone who functions in a manner different from what we know to be 'normal'? Why do we find it so hard to adapt what we do to someone who will need to do it differently?
A few years ago I had a client whose young son was born with a portion of one arm missing. There was just a little arm beyond the elbow and no hand on that arm. This cheerful young mother appeared to take this in stride. One day she came for her therapy session and she said that she was very frustrated. She had been calling numerous piano instructors in town and each one told her that they would not be able to teach piano to a child with only one hand.
As I type this now, I feel as I did that day; stunned, speechless, and deeply saddened. I ask myself why all these piano teachers would be unwilling to try to adapt to someone with only one hand. Then I ask myself, would I be different?
There are people among us that must do things in different ways due to their particular life circumstance. Sometimes it requires another person to stretch him/her self a bit. I hope that when that circumstance crosses my path, I will be able to think outside the box.
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