Me? Bored? Far from it!
by Maria Kathrina Lopez Yarza
September 3, 2012
I bet you get easily bored most of the time.”
Someone said these words to me after telling her my story that I am deaf and immobile.
I told her I am not and asked why did she think so? She told me that it’s because I’m sick and the things I can do are limited, so it must be boring.
I politely disagreed and explained my “I can’t, but I CAN” outlook in life.
She doubted my words so I asked her to browse my website and know the “possible” in the word “impossible”.
The conversation had me thinking and a question in my mind lingered: “Did life ever become boring for me?”
I did in fact get bored in 2006. At that time, I was so weak and I felt that the world was moving too fast and mine was so slow every time I needed to wait for my turn during check-ups and therapies, when I needed to wait in line.
Now that I have fully accepted everything about my condition and have regained my strength, I am able to enjoy everything I do, even waiting in line. I do get bored when I really have nothing to do, who doesn’t anyway? Especially when there is no internet connection and I can’t check my Facebook, Twitter or browse the web. But I always made sure to find something to do and to keep myself occupied. I really don’t like being idle, for me it is really a waste of time. I would rather do something totally nonsense than doing nothing at all.
I really like it when I am busy and have a lot of things I need to do and deadlines to finish. I would often get confused with what I should start first and end up doing everything all at once, which is really confusing and stressful that can lead to a seizure; but luckily, I am already able to control it. I just need to do some breathing exercises once in a while and stretch my arms. In my mind, I say, “Thank you Lord”, not because He prevented me from having a seizure, but because I thank Him for the things that I am busy with. Doing so much work means I am doing a lot, that I CAN, and being given a couple of tasks means many people trust me and rely on what I am doing.
“You can’t go out with your friends?” the girl asked me, or rather assumed.
Huh?! I was speechless and wondered why she thinks that way? I told her that I go out with my family and friends a lot and they even call me ‘lakwatserang naka-wheelchair’. Because even though I’m sick and I cannot walk, that doesn’t stop me from going here and there with them.
Before I got sick and weak, I was a gimikera – in a good-clean-fun way, of course. I am always out with my friends. I regularly go out and watch a movie with my brother and sister. It doesn’t mean that just because a lot of things have changed and has led me to this condition, I need to change myself as well. Like I always remind everyone, “I am still me. I am still Kcat.”
Oftentimes, I am the one who suggests and encourages my friends, family and cousins for us to go out and have fun together. Not only did I have a good time but seeing these people who are dear to me having fun too really satisfies me.
Last August, my aunt Myrna, visited the country from the US with her husband and two kids. While we were gathered in my grandma’s house, I suggested going to my gradfather Lolo Pete and visit him on his 20th death anniversary at the Marikina Memorial Park.
We were able to convince our grandma, who we fondly call Me (short for Mommy or Mame), to go to the mall with us afterwards. Me doesn’t like going out of her house and likes to bore herself in front of the television most of the time. We would often encourage her to go out of the house and go to the mall with us. So the next day she joined her grandchildren for a movie date.
I don’t think the discounts and privileges given to senior citizens and PWD ID holders are being given because these two groups of people don’t go out that much anyway, it is to let us know that we are still part of the society and that we can still enjoy life like normal people do. Because life is beautiful, no matter what.
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| Presenting, my very useful PWD ID |
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