Keeping Christmas

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Pine cones and bright red Christmas baubles lying on a bed of green pine needles in a clay pot

We are in the thick of Christmas season once again. The trees are up, the lights and stars twinkling in our homes and streets and shops and Christmas songs playing everywhere you go. There’s that bustle of activity in the air with shopping, decorating, wrapping gifts, visiting, baking cakes and cookies, planning get-togethers with family and friends, attending parties and so on. We say Christmas is for children and pretend that we do whatever we do for our children. But, admit it, even as adults we love Christmas. We may complain loudly about the stress of the preparations, but we find ourselves becoming more and more excited as the day draws near and the decorations begin to appear. I also tend to tear up easily this time of year as memories of Christmas past are triggered at every turn.

My life is disabled by my environment

WHY ACCESSIBILITY MATTERS

IMAGE DESCRIPTION

I am sitting on my wheelchair looking up at a long flight of stairs which is the only entrance into the office building of the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare in Nagaland.

So, when was the last time you had to turn back without getting your work done because you couldn’t get into an office building? Or decline an invitation to an event or missed out on a celebration because the venue was inaccessible? Have you ever been unable to go to school, college or go shopping because there was no ramp or a washroom you could use? These are just a few scenarios faced by wheelchair users on a daily basis. There are many, many more – too many to list here.

A loveliness of ladybirds

Did you know a group of ladybirds is called a ‘loveliness’?

Yes, that’s right…..a ‘loveliness’ of ladybirds. It turns out that the collective noun for these cute polka-dotted beetles is ‘loveliness’.

The Disability Vote matters!

“Vote as if your life depends on it - because it DOES!” - this was famously said by Justin Dart, the man often considered the father of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This is especially true for People with Disabilities. Every policy decision that impact their lives are influenced by whom we elect - from employment to transportation, to the funding of health programmes and social security, accessibility and so on and so forth. Yet, ironically, majority of People with Disabilities are unable to exercise their fundamental right to vote.

Going grey and lovin’ it!

Grey! When it comes to hair, it’s the dreaded colour, right? Few of us welcome it and we reach for the dye immediately as soon as the silver strands start to appear.

I did that too and I don’t even know why. I’ve never been interested in colouring my hair nor ever had the patience to sit through the process. But when the greys started to show up thick and fast, I turned to the dye answer without question. There you go, that’s classic herd behaviour for you! Most people are doing it so I just went with the flow and did it too.

Season of Hope

Spring is such a beloved season. It’s called the season of hope and that’s an apt description. It is indeed a hopeful season when everything seems possible.

Kairos is NOW

Kairos – I came across this word today and it got me thinking.

According to Wikipedia, Kairos (καιρός) is an Ancient Greek word meaning the right, critical, or opportune moment. The ancient Greeks had two words for time: chronos (χρόνος) and kairos. The former refers to chronological or sequential time, while the latter signifies a proper or opportune time for action.

The missing issue of Nagaland Election 2018

A young boy taking part in a rally calling for inclusive education on Nov 4, 2017. Hundreds of children with disability came out and pleaded with their government and fellow citizens to hear their voice. Sadly, it appears that the politicians have not heard them

The election campaign circus has been painting the town red with all the usual political dramas, bombastic rhetoric, tired promises we hear every election but which hardly ever see light of day and, of course, the mindless parroting of ‘solution’ ad infinitum by various candidates and leaders of political parties. In fact, one would be forgiven for thinking that general elections in Nagaland have now become about nothing but the Naga issue.

As ‘interesting’ as all that has been, there are other very important issues that some people have been waiting to hear about; issues that literally impact their day-to-day living. And so, with voting day just a couple of days away (Feb 27), let’s take a look at what the politicians and political parties have been saying on disability issues and what their positions and policies are on Disability.