Who is handicapped?

(Courtesy of Francis' email)


It was raining when I started home that night; gusty winds and slashing rain beat down on the car…as I drove slowly down one of the less-traveled roads. Suddenly the steering wheel jerked in my hands and the car swerved violently to the right.

In the same instant I heard the dreaded bang of a blowout. I fought the car to a stop on the rain-slick shoulder of the road and sat there as the enormity of the situation swept over me. It was impossible for me to change that tire! Utterly impossible!

Because I became afflicted with a slowly progressive disease of the motor nerves, affecting first my right arm and leg, and then my other side...In spite of my disease I still drove to and from work each day, with the aid of special equipment installed in my car.

A thought that a passing motorist might stop was dismissed at once. Why should anyone?

I knew I wouldn't! Then I remembered that a short distance up a little side road was a house. I started the engine and thumped slowly along, keeping well over on the shoulder until I came to the dirt road, where I turned in …- thankfully. Lighted windows welcomed me to the house and I pulled into the driveway and honked the horn. The door opened and a little girl stood there, peering at me.

I rolled down the window and called out that I had a flat tire and needed someone to change it for me because I had a crutch and couldn't do it myself.

She went into the house and a moment later came out bundled in raincoat and hat, followed by a man who called a cheerful greeting.

I sat there comfortable and dry, and felt a bit sorry for the man and the little girl working so hard in the storm. Well, I would pay them for it.

The rain seemed to be slackening a bit now, and I rolled down the window all the way to watch. It seemed to me that they were awfully slow and I was beginning to become impatient.

I heard the clank of metal from the back of the car and the little girl's voice came clearly to me. "Here's the jack-handle, Grandpa." She was answered by the murmur of the man's lower voice …and the slow tilting of the car as it was jacked up. There followed a long interval of noises, jolts and low conversation from the back of the car, but finally it was done. I felt the car bump as the jack was removed, and I heard the slam of the trunk lid, … and then they were standing at my car window.

He was an old man, stooped and frail-looking under his slicker. The little girl was about 8 or 10, I judged, with a merry face and a wide smile as she looked up at me.

He said, "This is a bad night for car trouble, but you're all set now." "Thanks," I said, "thanks. How much do I owe you?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Cynthia told me you were a cripple - on crutches. Glad to be of help. I know you'd do the same for me. There's no charge, friend."

I held out a five-dollar bill. "No! I like to pay my way."

He made no effort to take it and the little girl stepped closer to the window and said quietly, "Grandpa can't see it."

In the next few frozen seconds the shame and horror of that moment penetrated, and I was sick with an intensity I had never felt before. A blind man and a child! Fumbling, feeling with cold, wet fingers for bolts and tools in the dark ….- a darkness that for him would probably never end until death.

They changed a tire for me - changed it in the rain and wind, with me sitting in snug comfort in the car with my crutch.

I don't remember how long I sat there after they said good night and left me, but it was long enough for me to search deep within myself and find some disturbing traits.

I realized that I was filled to overflowing with self-pity, selfishness, indifference to the needs of others and thoughtlessness. I sat there and said a prayer. In humility I prayed for strength, … for a greater understanding, for keener awareness of my shortcomings and for faith to continue asking in daily prayer for spiritual help to overcome them.

I prayed for blessings upon the blind man and his granddaughter.

Finally I drove away, shaken in mind, humbled in spirit.

Who is handicapped? Something to ponder upon deeply.

Try not to see only your own handicap in times of difficulty, because there’re so many other people who are more needy of help.


有一晚回家時正下著雨。我開到一條幽静的小路時，狂風驟雨袭击我的車子。突然方向盤猛然一震，車子失控偏向右邊。

同時我聽到可怕的爆炸聲，我使劲把車停在溜滑的路肩上。想到整個情況便愕然不知所措。我不可能獨力換下爆胎，完全不可能。

因為我的運動神經受到感染，病情逐漸惡化。首先是右手右腳，然後是另一邊。雖然如此，車上裝了特別的輔助仪器，我還是可以開車上下班。

我想也許路過的車子會停下來，隨後就打消了這種念头，他们為什麼要停下來？

我知道連我自己都不會停下。过后我想起不遠處有棟房子。於是我發動車子，緩緩前進，開進一条小泥径。幸運地，房子的燈光好像歡迎我到来。我開進車道，按了喇叭，有個小女孩開了門，站在那裡看著我。

我搖下車窗，大聲說：「車胎爆了！需要有人替我更換，因為我不良于行，無法自己更換。」

她進入屋內，一會兒出來時，裹著雨衣，戴雨帽。後面跟著一個老人，他愉快地跟我打招呼。

我又舒適又乾爽地坐在車內，覺得在暴風雨中为我操劳的老人和小女孩很可憐。沒關係，我會付錢給他們。

雨勢稍減了，我搖下車窗观看換胎過程。他們似乎動作很慢，我開始有點不耐煩了。

我聽到車的後邊，傳來金屬的清脆碰撞聲和女孩的聲音：「爺爺，這是千斤頂手把。」老人低聲含糊地回答。然后車子慢慢被頂了上來，接下來是一連串的聲響，搖動及車後低聲的對話，最後終於完工了。千斤頂移開時，我感到車子撞到地面，接著行李箱門關閉的聲音。

他們就站在車窗口，老人有點嶇僂，寬大雨衣下的他，看起來很虛弱。小女孩大概八歲或十歲，快樂的臉龐帶著微笑！

他說：「這樣的天氣，車子出毛病很糟糕，不過，都修好了。」「謝謝」，我說：「那我該付你多少錢呢？」

他搖搖頭說：「不用，辛西娅告訴我，你的腳不方便。我很樂意幫忙，我知道如果是你，你也會幫我的。不用收費，朋友。」

我拿出一張五元紙鈔：「不行！應該付的。」

他沒有拿錢的意思，小女孩靠近車窗，低聲的對我說：「爺爺是看不見的。」

接下來幾秒鐘，我只感到羞愧和震驚，我從未有過那種強烈的感覺。一個盲人和小孩，在黑暗中用濕冷的手指，去摸索螺栓和工具。而他的盲眼所帶來的黑暗，恐怕至死才能结束。

他們仍然願意幫我在風雨中更換輪胎，而我卻坐在舒適的車中。

他們道晚安離開之後，我不記得自己坐在那裡多久。但時間長到足以讓我好好的探索自己的內心深處，找出所有恐懼不安的癥結。

我了解到以前的自己，心中只充滿了自憐，自私，對別人的需要很冷漠，不體諒別人。我坐在那兒禱告，謙卑的祈求力量。祈求更能瞭解與透徹洞悉自己的缺點，也祈求信心，以克服這些缺點。

我祈求上帝，赐福給這位老盲人和他的孫女。

最後我把車子開走，心裡仍然顫抖，精神上卻滿是謙卑。

誰是殘障？值得大家深思。

遇到困難不能自認殘障，因為還有很多人更需要您的幫忙。

从西藏回来

Beautiful Switzerland

(Courtesy of Francis' email)