Cacat!

I've been called many names but not cacat (handicapped)! Being born different from a normal person - well just different in this part of the world - I always have to explain myself. For those who know me will know what I mean, for those who don't .. well.. I'm just a bit different on the outlook, in terms of eye color. It's something inherited, definitely not handicapped. Scientifcally, as research has concluded, eye color other than dark brown is definitely gene mutation - but just that, no other physical or mental problem, or any other related condition.So in other words, I am as normal as any other human being except that my eye color is different from other person of my race.

Having said that, I actually had and still have many many encounters, mostly funny ones, where people are curious about "what" I am. Some look at me as if I am an alien, some are bold enough to say not so nice things on my face thinking that I am fake, some even don't want to walk with me because they will be stared at too. Like it or not I have to kill their curiosity. Most of the time I would just say something simple (and nicely) to shut them off without having to tell the story of my life.

And now, two of my kids inherited my eyes. Even more different because they only inherited one side of the eyes. Meaning to say they have two different eye colors,dark brown and blue! This is nothing unusual in my family though. Irsyad did not have as much problems since the difference is not so glaring. Syasya on the other hand, has a rather gleaming blue eyes which is very obvious. Now that she just starts school, other kids and teachers have started to quiz her about her eyes. I have taught her what to say and she handles it pretty well. The only problem is that these few days some kids, being kids, calls her "cacat"! And some asked her if she's cacat! She came home asking me what cacat is. What I fear has come true. Thankfully she did not cry or afraid of people staring at her or asking her about it (unlike me who was so scared to go out of the house at one time!). Somehow rather, it made me sad to think of her being called cacat. Like I said, I've been called many things but not that.

It's still a long way to go for them. Irsyad is handling it pretty well, and did not attract too much attention. I guess it's easier for a boy in this situation. But I'm rather worried about Syasya, even though she's doing OK so far, I'm afraid she will feel inferior someday especially in her teens. I've been through it and I know what it's like. But that was then, kids these days are bolder and more daring. My parents never told me the history of our family and why we are like that. I just knew it was inherited. And they never told me how to handle "the situations". But now, being in this era, where curiosity can really kill you (not just the cat), I really have to tell my kids, and tell them what to say and what to do. I hope I will be around long enough for them so that they can lead a normal life without feeling any inferiority due to their differences.

No, please, my babies are not cacat... they are just different!!