A little time to stop.

Was on a rush to my last Soci of Identities seminar;
ironically, it was my first seminar as I had missed previous ones and there are relatively few seminars in the department

After munching a home made toasted sandwich with melted cheese and prawns with honey mustard and gulping down a glass of milk for my breakfast/lunch...

(note: i dont eat breakfast usually, but i was so hungry after last nite's work of poring through an academically written book on Making the Unborn Patient about fetal surgery for many hours until 5am)

i was in a hurry to go to the Bedson Building for my seminar when I saw a familiar person with a walking stick trying to find her way
It was someone who had always been seen on campus, with that familiar thud of walking stick
Many walked past her, including me
I knew I was gonna be late and it was not nice to be late for the first and last semester
and I was very unfamiliar with the directions.
but I had to stop immediately in my tracks because he/she was knocking into the parked cars at Ricky Road where I live

Never having helped anyone who was visually handicapped before
it honestly took a lot of courage to extend my help because I really didnt know what to do.
There were so many times I wanted to help
but I just didnt know how to and often wondered if my help was more trouble

But today, I made a little time to stop
and extended my arm for the person to hold my hand
I could not tell his/her gender, for the person had short cropped hair, dressed quite androgynously and had quite a feminine voice
but i know i had a nice time leading the person with my arm
The person wanted to go to Winsor Terrace but to not trouble me,
suggested that I led him/her to the Medical School instead where he/she would make his way along to Winsor Terrace
Since it was on my way, and I was not going to be very late,
I decided to lead him/her across the road and asked a mother with a child if she could assist the person as it was a little far off and I was not sure where Winsor Terrace was.
And the kind mother was a very helpful, and I am thankful for that.

The person is a third year History undergrad at Newcastle Uni and aims to do a Masters in History of medicine - we just chatted along and despite looks, it just became so natural leading him/her that it was like being with a new friend.

Everytime we went down a slope or were about to be very near some sharp shrubs,
I almost forget to let him/her know because
it had become second nature to me
because I can see
and it was just so natural for me to slow down in case of slopes, avoid the lane with the thorny shrubs or just skip away when there is a puddle of water
but I had taken for granted what I have
that I was reminded of my gift of sight when I reminded the person that we were going to go down a slope/in the direction of shrubs.

Sometimes, all it takes is a little time to stop
to be reminded of how lucky I am.