My Story: Blindness Was A Curse In My Life. Nobody Even Talked To Me Properly Except My Mother

“I lost my eyesight because of typhoid when I was three years old. After I lost my vision, I also lost my father in the same year. Blindness was a curse in my life. Nobody even talked to me properly except my mother. Everybody talked behind me and made fun out of me. My own sister said I can never have a husband and children; I will never have my own home! I will never have someone who will ever love me! I was isolated from everything in my childhood. I always tried to hide myself from people.

My mother was the only reason I never wanted to die. Through my mother’s eyes I saw this world. She was my hope; she was my light. She worked as a maid in order to continue my education. But I lost my mother last year and I lost my eyes again.

I got to know Firoj through one of my friends. When I first met Firoj inside a park, it was like we knew each other for years. When we were sharing our misery because of our sightlessness, I felt like I was talking with myself. We became close to each other in a few minutes. We were crying like children holding each other’s hands. Firoj told me in his 24 years, he never felt like this; he was holding me and was crying like a baby. The whole day we walked together and shared our dreams, faith and discomforts. All the time I was holding Firoj’s hands, he was showing me the way. In few minutes I forgot that I was alone and lost. Firoj proposed marriage to me on the same evening. We also planned that if we have a daughter we will call her Sneha.

We got married 22 days ago. Now we have no place to live. I stay in my university’s hostel and Firoj lives with his family. When we miss each other we stay in hotels. This is the third time after our marriage that we have come to stay in hotel. Each time we visit each other for two days. Firoj sells books on public bus and earns very little, with that money we cannot afford more than two days.

On my wedding day Firoj brought a gold nose pin for me. He had no money, so he took one thousand taka as a loan from me to buy my nose ring for the wedding.

Now we are so blissful that we have each other. Our life has changed from hell to heaven. Firoj always holds my hands when we walk. We love open sky and wind. When I cry for my mother, Firoj’s eyes also get wet because of my pain. I never felt lost anymore!

Firoj’s mother did not accept me as I am also blind and can’t understand how two blind people will survive together! But Firoj told her then that only a blind person can understand another blind person’s pains, suffering and courage. Only two blind people together can fulfill themselves. Firoj is trying his best to convince his mother to accept our relationship so that we will have our own home.”

– Rehana 24 and Firoj 24