Dwelling in a disabled world

APROPOS of Amar Nath Wadehra and Randeep Wadehra’s article "Dwelling in a disabled world" (May 12), handicapped, disabled and mentally retarded persons do not need mere lip-sympathy, but have a right to dignity and to economic security and to engage themselves in a useful, productive and remunerative occupation. Society must change its outlook towards disabled persons, and must encourage them to have hope in the future and confidence in themselves.

O.P. SHARMA, Faridabad

Apropos of Khushwant Singh’s write-up "Celebrating old age" (May 5), blessed are those old people who enjoy normal health.

Generally, many people look old even at sixty. Worry and lack of wholesome food accelerates the ageing process.

Some old persons, who always dote on the past and do not take in impressions from the present, become peevish. Instead of showing respect to them, their children regard them as a nuisance. Famous poet, Pt Mela Ram Wafa, who died at the age of 86, said:

Umr-e-daraaz naam hai marg-e-daraaz ka" (Old age is the worst of all diseases. Long life is, in fact, a lingering death).

However, lively persons with a strong will are not depressed by old age and always cheerfully face the troubles peculiar to ageing. A bard has rightly said: "Jo zinda-dil hain hameshah jawan raihtey hain/ Bahaar-e-zeest yaqeenan isi shabaab main hai".

BHAGWAN SINGH, Qadian

This is with reference to the article, "Of adman’s howlers" by Ramesh K. Dhiman (May 12).

It made a delightful reading and was in fact a roller coast ride of hilarity and fun. It is undoubtedly wrong to laugh at the predicament of others, for it must be embarrassing and very annoying to the people concerned when the advertisements inserted by them convey the wrong message, sometimes even diametrically opposed to the one intended. But as the human beings are in no way perfect, the inconsistencies and human folly usually make them laugh. May be that we see our own imperfections in the mirror and feel happy to know that we are not the only imperfect ones. As goes the eminently famous and oft-repeated saying, "To err is human." Though it must be really difficult for the affected party to take it so lightly.

It also reminds one of the famous words, "The reason why the angels can fly is that they can take themselves so lightly."

Anyhow, any one who can make people laugh in this stressful age, does a commendable service to humanity.

AMRIT PAL TIWANA, Kalka