Today was a day that was generally boring except for the visit to the MINDS school. It was not a pleasant experience. Whatever shopping or fun stuff i wanted to do this weekend has been tainted by this. I don't feel like buying my Energie jeans already or my floorball stick. Its not against the people whom i went with but the experience of the whole trip. It was so contrite. It was like we were research scientists who were given a introductory trip into an high security facility. We had a prep talk and copied notes down. For what purpose other than academics? We then had a tour round the facilities and made weak motions to signify out presence at those who were happy to see us.

It seems so sad. The school was like an idyll. clustered amongst a private housing estate with no real interaction with the world. It is so true isn't it. They are clustered and separated from the rest of society as they are genetic misfits. They were so happy that we came because nobody ever steps into their lives. From the day they are diagnosed with their condition, they have been isolated away, sequestered into the deepest recesses so that the shame of the family will not be revealed. They can only lead happy fulfilling lives amongst their kind. From diagnosis to death they will remain in this make believe world of theirs, forever at the edge of society, never in it.

The school was old, british colonial buildings. That were not air conditioned nor given adequate facilities. The manpowere were few and the pupils many. As quoted from the only occupational therapist, all of them need therapy but my time is limited. I can only choose those who are most needy. But the most important thing is that they were not suffering. They were happy. Happier than any of us can be. They radiated with pure joy when we visited them. Damm those charity shows. Money is easier to raise than volunteers. They need people to help, not more cash. Considering the financial expenditure that is involved in supporting their disabled child, besides the huge emotional burden and caregiver stress, my frivolous spending habits make me feel guilty and ashamed. To think i wanted to celebrate passing my driving test. Bah.

I am reminded of a time when i had just finished my driving lesson. That day was a bad day. I got scolded by the instructor quite a bit. I was waiting at the bus stop when a grandmother brought 2 kids to the bus stop. The younger one was from YCK MINDS school. He was simply a burst of spontaneity and laughter. Ambling up to me, he pointed at his fingers and started counting them. He had just learnt how to count today and was showing me his progress. I warmed up to him at the sight of his face. He was simply a barrel of laughs. I played with him till the bus came and we took the same bus but he alighted first. He may be intellectually challenged, but he is undoubtedly happier. He cheered up my day and made me wonder. maybe we are the ones who are intellectually disabled. As we are not happy. What we perceive as their suffering maybe actually myopia on our part. They are enjoying their life and society castigates them for it.

I don't know really. I feel that i am living in a lap of luxury compared to these kids. They are not fortunate as we are, to live in situations where we can complain about our lacks and still live fairly comfortably. What is the point of consumerism and materialism if such inequality exists? Why has God made them this way? Is it his way of laughing at us, to show us the true meaning of happiness via a retarded child? Is he teasing them or is he teasing us? Maybe i don't see the point in Burberry and Prada anymore when i look at their faces. Maybe a Ferrari or Aston Martin is not as important anymore when you understand their lives. What is the point of this post if i am unable to comprehend and understand anything at all? Heck it. So what about the luxuries of modern life when you don't actually get a taste of true happiness, which is what these people possibly enjoy. For ignorance is bliss. And I am no longer ignorant



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