Consider the most basic chore. Is it easy? How do you do it? Washing the dishes for example involves putting soap to dishes, drying them with your hands and it is very very easy. What if you couldn’t reach the sink because you didn’t have the use of your legs? What if you couldn’t easily move in between your sink and dishwasher? These were just some of my basic reactions to being in a wheelchair. At Pathways this week, I got the opportunity to play wheelchair basketball and it was incredibly difficult for many of the first timers including the mentors and students alike but those that actually play wheelchair basketball appeared to work harder and exert more energy than able bodied athletes. I was in awe.
I learnt that there are certain classifications for strength in the sport:
0 means that you have very little or no strength in any of your major body parts eg. feet, leg, hand, arm, torso, hip
1 means that you have strength in your torso but not your hands and fingers
3 means you have upper body strength but not in your lower body
4.5 means you fit into the category of most people, being able-bodied
The common rule is that the players on a team cannot combined equal 15 points of strength.
Learning for me is a two-way streak. In the role of mentor, I want to teach the students as much as I can but I also have an expectation to learn from them. Encouraging these students to try wheelchair basketball was incredibly difficult because many did not believe they could do it but actually wanted to try the activity. The first five minutes were difficult. The motion of push, push, roll, roll took place, I even tried and it was hard to move around, it almost seemed impossible. It was exerting and difficult but so worth it and so rewarding. By the end of the hour, it was not only possible but it was a competition.
Seeing the students learn that even the most difficult situations was highly rewarding but having the experience myself was a way to remember how challenging other people lives are and how these people acted like everything was completely normal. When thinking about development and going overseas this summer, I’ve been told that the children in particular never think of themselves as challenged but as the happiest children on earth. No matter what our limits are, we have a calling to make the best of our lives and work towards shaping the best possible world.
The Premise...
- Sebastien
- Kitchener, ON, Canada
- After completing a 3-month intensive placement in Nairobi, Kenya teaching grades 5-11 in 2011 and completing a post-grad degree in Education in 2012; Sebastien (Me!) is embarking on a new exciting challenge #teachingawesome ... The Journey begins soon!
2 comments:
Loved this post Sebastien - how many times have I been far away from home and realised that the things I value most are the very things that I always take for granted: a drink when I'm thirsty, food when I'm hungry, sleep when I'm tired, and a supportive friend when I'm really down. In this example it's the freedom of movement - the stuff we complain about... (do I HAVE to get up?). Our fortune comes in having people around us to remind us of how fortunate we really are!
I am sad to say that I often find myself saying that I cannot do something, and do not even give it a shot because of the fear of looking foolish or failing. This is sad because I do not face half the problems that many people do, such as being in a wheelchair, yet I take for granted my abilities. I am always in awe of people who push past their challenges and do something extraordinary with their lives. This blog makes me think of courageous people like Terry Fox, who are struck with a devastating blow, but do not let that stop them and in so doing, set a lasting example for a whole generations to come. Great blog Sebastien :)
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