My life was normal up to the time when I felt I can neither walk nor move my legs and articulations. It was painful then, to know from the doctors that I have a serious rheumatoid arthritis. After various analyses and radiographs, I have been informed that I must undergo a serious treatment as well as to try to work and walk even by canes since it was in the very beginning. It was a little bit hard to get used to my new situation ; my friends and family supported me, and I was happy to think that this is God destiny and happy also that God reminds me that soubhanahou wa ta3ala exist. I remember that I was walking without canes and unable to move my right leg. I stumbled and was to fell down until a woman by my side offers to help me because I couldn't take a step ahead. My eyes then were full of tears and the heart hurt ; my mind went farther and started to think deeply in that earth, in our existence, our life, our society, ... I replied : “no no madam, thank you very much, it's ok, I do manage”. On the way to my car, I couldn't stop thinking of my situation as a temporary handicapped, then a car stopped to give me right to cross the street. Inside, there were some guys. To thank them for their good behaviour, I saw the pity glance in their eyes, as if they were saying inside without a word “poor lady, still young but she cannot walk”. I felt for the first time that handicapped in our Moroccan society suffer a lot. It's obvious that we, as Moroccans, are helpful and kind but unfortunately we don't understand that handicapped are more sensitive to every word. They pay attention to everything while we don't care about their feelings. I was wondering especially whether women behave the same way as men. May be it's related to one's personality and education, but all of them are sensitive. When a woman looks at handicapped man and says : “poor man, very handsome but cannot move”, or when any man says to a handicapped woman : “poor lady, how beautiful she is but unfortunately cannot walk freely”, it becomes hard to believe one ears then. It's very far from our minds to think about that. I maintain that I have never thought about this, but now that I'm unable to move, I can understand the handicapped, I can see the pity in other's eyes. But anyway, from my sickness, I could realize that we are all alike, but one should care about the others and try to understand their feelings. Here was my story with my temporary handicap, I would like you to ask yourself too and wonder about others situation so that you can feel what they feel. And especially when you meet a handicapped, don't say or show he or she's poor, they are so much sensitive.
