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Life is not a bed of roses. This saying holds
true for Salina who has been a polio victim
since the age of three. This disease affected
both her legs which has
rendered her
unable to walk. As a result, Salina is now
confined to a wheelchair which causes her to
live the life of a disabled. The life of a
disabled person is not an easy one because it is
full of obstacles. As she goes through life,
Salina has to overcome all kinds of difficulty.
Success does not come easily to her due to her
limited mobility. After many years of
encountering hardships, Salina now holds a
respectable job in a well-known organisation in
the country. Salina's success in life can be
attributed to her great determination, positive
outlook and remarkable friends. Salina's
success in life is due to her grit and great
determination. She does not give up easily when
it comes to achieving what she wants. For
example, she was very determined in her
university years to do well in her studies. Her
life at the university was not easy. Besides
working hard at her studies, Salina had to face
difficulties in accessing places, such as the
library, computer labs, lecture halls and
canteens. The lack of an elevator prevented her
from going to the library and computer labs
which were on the first floor. Able-bodied
students could get to the lecture hall easily
but for Salina, it was tough. Other students had
a path that enabled them to reach the lecture
hall quickly. Salina, on the other hand, had to
cross a big field in her wheelchair. Sometimes,
the field got muddy during the rainy season and
the mud would stick to the wheels making it
difficult for the wheelchair to move.
Eventually, Salina would reach the lecture hall
with a smile on her face and without any
complaints. The lack of facilities for disabled
students on campus did not discourage her from
obtaining her certificates from the university.
It would be a lie to say that Salina did not
even shed a tear while handling the unfriendly
campus environment. Each time she thought of the
difficulties she had to get through, she felt
sad. But this made her more determined than ever
to get what she wanted.
Salina has a positive outlook to life. Salina
believes she can achieve whatever she wants
provided she remains positive even in trying
times. Moreover, she is not easily saddened by
negative incidents. During her campus days,
Salina came across people who forgot to put
themselves in her shoes. Yet, these people held
important positions in the university and were
supposed to understand the needs of students who
were uniquely different from others. For
example, they were reluctant to provide
ramps and a special toilet during the beginning
of her campus life. Furthermore, some officers
even advised Salina's friends not to let her
become too dependent on them. These incidences
could have affected a disabled person gravely,
but Salina took them positively. She became more
mature in understanding human nature, patient in
coping with unwarranted situations, motivated in
performing better at her studies and courageous
in facing life's challenges.
Salina also has remarkable friends who have
helped her be where she is today. Salina
considers her friends as treasures who must be
cherished. She does not have many
friends, but the few friends she has are
sincere, helpful and trustworthy. At university,
her friends were there to support and help her
since she was staying away from home. Salina
cannot deny the fact that she was very dependent
on these close and understanding friends to help
her borrow books from the library, buy her
necessities from the shop and food from the
canteen. People would say that these were merely
simple gestures in doing things for a disabled
person. This would be true if the help was given
for a day or two. However, it was greatly
appreciated because the help was extended over a
long period of time. These friends stayed with
Salina throughout her university years. If a
normal person had to depend on somebody at some
time or other, Salina who is physically disabled
required more of it. Her friends' efforts in
assisting her at university had made her life as
a disabled person easier. Salina will never
forget her friends' kind deeds.
Salina's perseverance, positive outlook and
wonderful friends have paved the way for
success. Even though Salina is physically weak,
she is mentally and emotionally strong. She has
achieved what she wants in life, i.e. having a
good and stable job and also a circle of friends
who bring much cheer to her. Disability
is not the end of a person's future, but a
challenge from God to live life to the fullest. |
