Picture this.
My health was not too well, but today was my young daughter's annual concert day at school. She goes to this school which respects and includes all kinds of people. She definitely has different race at school, but she also has differently abled folks within her class.
She really wanted me to be there, so I trudge along. I did not realise prior to the event (because she would not tell me) that she was part of the Estonian dance group.
One set after another comes out with their concert activities. Finally she walks in with her mates, for the dance.
As part of her group, there is a paraplegic (who also in her class).
Now the Estonian dance should be categorized as a very voluble hefty and active set of movements. The kids all participate.
The different kid tries. After a point he is unable to move as fast as they do.
I am by this point mesmerized by him, to the point of not focussing on my daughter.
At some point 2 mins into the dance, he slowly crutches onto his support walker and starts to walk back off the stage. All this while the others were still active in the act.
A painful trudge of 30 odd seconds got him into the grasp of a teacher who pulled him in.
At that point - he taught me a valuable lesson (which is counterintuitive to all the lessons I have been taught, or the ones I myself pontificate).
Sometimes, when you know you dont fit in, its so much more sensible to shrug and walk off. Putting in effort to fit in, can be quite exhausting, and more importantly, sometimes walking away - reminds you of your own perspective.
There is immense dignity in choosing to accept and walk away.
There is immense dignity in choosing to accept and walk away.
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