Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

A malady is a setback. A malady teaches a person something unique. That allows the person to do things others cannot.

Permit me to dote on my granddaughter a bit. I am subjective here, but that is my privilege.

She has congenital cataracts, i.e., she was born with cataracts. She sees well-enough to function and will probably have a driver’s license in a couple of years. No driving after dark or other restrictions, but a license to operate a motor vehicle in the daylight.

She is smart — brilliant if you ask me, and since I am writing this, you asked me. She had two brilliant great grandfathers with one being an engineer and the other a minister. Her grandparents and parents were pretty bright as well.

She sits at the intersection of brilliance and malady. While quite smart, none of her ancestors had this malady. She is unique in that she knows what it means to see poorly. She also has the advantages of education and ability. Given all this, I have no doubt that she will do something remarkable that greatly benefits others.

Malady is no fun. It is, however, a resource. We can choose to lament that resource or use it. I believe she will choose wisely.