Level Two. Feeling Unique.
Level Two. Feeling Unique.
By Michelle Lloyd.
Nigel had learnt about definitions, he had experienced many variations of a theme because actually when it came to it, he could not be defined by ordinary means.
When he thought about it definitions had a lot of basis on what was thought about a certain idea, issue or subject. Nigel had been prone to a bit of sadness about it all at first because when he tried to define his own mobility issues, it all became a bit complex.
At school, in the early days Nigel tried to define himself in terms of how everybody else thought. Was he good at sports? Did he fit into the arts and crafts part of the class? Popular or a loaner? Who was he?
When he attempted to keep up with everybody else his own age Nigel struggled. He tried and failed on many an occasion. Nobody was harsh or cruel to him about it but in himself Nigel wondered what it meant for him.
Being able to fit in and define where you gravitated towards felt important to Nigel but he did not know why. It could have been instinct or a learnt concept but every time he did try to merge with the crowd something would go wrong.
Nobody disliked Nigel and he liked everybody but he did not feel like he could define himself as others seemed to do. In the end, it took a thought, a single idea to broach the issue and that was how it all started.
Nigel talked about his problems if he could but about this he felt a bit forlorn. He could not seem to know where to start and who to speak to about it. After all he did not feel like anything could be done about it.
Nigel’s parents had always taught him to be positive and ingenious about his situation. Efforts had been made to get him access to nearly all areas at school. Everybody had been extremely positive but Nigel felt that he had not done enough to feel as positively as they all looked.
He decided that he would look happy and keep up with this attitude in class. He set about being smiley and full of laughter whenever possible, but at break times or lulls in all the hullabaloo of class life, Nigel watched enviously as everybody seemed to gather in defined clusters or groups. Everybody knew what activity they wanted to engage in and poor Nigel would be too shy to invite himself along to any of the goings on.
It was one break time when Nigel’s life changed. As per usual everybody got going and running about or physically engaging in defined games. Nigel hung back and tried to look nonchalantly about it all. Slowly but surely his eyes caught sight of a class mate heading in his direction. He watched and waited and wondered…
A class mate of Nigel’s walked up to him and asked if he wanted to play in their game. It had been the first time that he had been asked and it was a bit of a monumental moment.
After having accepted Nigel tentatively began to move towards the ongoing game and he had to admit that all these questions were unanswered in his head. What if he joined in and couldn’t keep up with the others? What if he let the side down? What if… it was all too late for too many more of his ponderings because before he knew it, Nigel had been chosen, tasked up and he had gotten into the nitty gritty of the game at hand.
It was marvellous because when Nigel felt he might not be able to do it, one of the others was quick to help him and even the game itself adapted to meet their new-found needs. It ended up being a game that nobody had ever had as much fun in playing and this was all put down to Nigel.
A bit of alteration had refreshed the rules of the game and Nigel no longer felt defined by what he could not do but instead he felt inspired by what he could do.