If I aint got U

I saw this lady yesterday while crossing the street to catch a tram going back home. A familiar face. A face I hadn't forgotten. A brave face. She was blind. I was on the same tram when I first saw her last year. I gave her my seat. And I remember I felt very happy doing so.

She is a blind person. But she can still see. She still walks the walk we walk everyday. She trams, she crosses the road without help, she does it (I assume) every day, just like the next person. She holds out her cane and welcomes every challenge in her way.

I spotted her as we were going in the opposite direction - we were going into the tram each of us had just got off. And we were waiting for the traffic light to turn. As I walked to my tram stop, my sight never left her. I even stopped, in case she tripped and no one stopped. I felt like screaming for people to stop for her. I felt like I needed to help her somehow.

But she needed none of those. She didn't need the world to stop for her as she was able. She followed the trail and stopped right in front of the tram. She got on the tram just fine. And she always got this calm smile on her face. Such bravery. I think I'm welling up.

I burned my palm today. Was too careless. Had a wok and a frying pan on the stove. I placed the handle of the pan near the wok, which blocked me from seeing the handle. So after I stir-fried some vege and wanted to shift the pan, I had forgotten than the handle was also "fried" somehow! And my left palm got a 20-sen coin burn mark. Luckily sis had brought some burn medicine from home and I applied it immediately to sooth the pain.

It got me thinking while taking my shower - after much contemplation. And in the shower I tried not to use my left hand at all. Again I got struck by the possibility of me having no left hand or hands. I wouldn't be able to even soap my armpits! See, if you haven't got your left, what are you going to use to clean your right armpit? And say you don't have your left palm, how will you clean your right hand?

I'm so happy that I can still appreciate what I've got. There are people who are so much less, physically, than I am. Yet they still manage, somewhat better I dare say, than I do.

I'll think before I complain next time.