Visually challenged? Never mind, Turn your disability into superpower
As a 9-year old kid, I loved to eat candies and do maths, I agree it’s a weird combination of passion to hold on. Life was plausible and peaceful. My serendipity was taken away when I lost my vision in the right eye, After that Life took a turn and hit a roadblock since then life never been the same to me. For a while, I didn’t know I was having a vision impairment because my left eye was working fine(I was wearing spectacles from the age of two due to multiple eye issues). I was diagnosed with a retina detachment. Undergone multiple operations, but my vision couldn’t be restored.
At this point, I could not see when people waved their hands on my right and I couldn’t figure out the letters in the blackboard, my reflex actions were pathetic, I couldn’t recognise the rear mirror view and focus the road simultaneously in my motorbike, and many more incidents piled up making my life and vision blurry. Fortunately or unfortunately I was put in a school with healthy kids. Every day people mocked me for my reflex actions. The same story continued in my grad school as well.
All this while, no one ever knows my vigilante identity. I wanted to explain my situation to my fellow classmates, but I was afraid of making the situation obnoxious and cumbersome. The trauma was real, pain was exponentially increasing, I hold my grief and anguish. To survive the crisis , I started my day with a motivation “I am a guy with a one-eye vision But I am Batman.” I started to preplan my day. I prepared each day such a way that it will be the worst day of my life. This sense of fear was substantial, Hope was the only way out.
Things started feeling different when I focused on one task at a time always, which helped me in giving the best at everything I do. The Irony was my vision was pathetic so that I could only focus on one task at a time. Not sure whether it’s because of my vision impairment or not, my senses got sharpened, I started identifying people with their voices and scent. I was alone for a long time, and after a while, I started enjoying my solitude. This drastically helped me in increasing my ability to think creatively, build innovative ideas and be the best in whatever I do. I was termed as an introvert, which I hated at the beginning, but later I fell in love with it, and it is the one of the characteristics that defines me now.
Today I am a FIDE-Rated Chess Player, Software Engineer, Avid Reader, Diligent Toastmaster, and most importantly, I am a vigilante of my weakness. I know my pitfalls and its always in the back of my mind, but it never stopped pursuing in what I love, For example Computer and vision-impairment don’t go well together. But I perceived.
I am not sure whether I would have been here today, If not for the retina detachment and all other hardships I faced. I do agree that the future will not be gentle on me , All I can do is gear up myself for the upcoming challenges and strive on the motivation Fear of being average. People used to mock me for my disability, they were right I was unique. To all, who think they are disabled, you’re not differently-abled, you’re a superhero. NEVER EVER, GIVE UP!
