The MOST Amazing Day of My Life

It's persisting down here today, I mean REALLY going for it! So lucky we got out and about yesterday.

Lauren opted for the beach AGAIN in desperate attempt to salvage any kind of tan at all, but as the wind was verging on hurricane strength gales which turned the waves into a raging mess and whipped the sand into horrible evil stinging monsters, I opted for exploring along the river and amongst the locals homes instead.

I'm sooooo glad I did, I can't describe the experiences I had yesterday quite fully except to say that it was absolutely remarkable.

One of the most amazing days I've ever had in my life. The hospitality and generosity and openess of these people is just soooooo overwhelming.

I cannot find words to justify the experience.

I'd stood watching the comings and goings of the river for a wee while before deciding to venture down a side path that didn't look like anywhere tourists would go.

I wanted to see the real Vietnam, not just a bunch of shops, I wanted to see what life was like for these people and I am glad that Lauren was ensconced happily at the beach as it's much easier to do that sort of thing on my own.

I don't know if it's coz she's American, but she just seems to have a very overbearing energy that alienates people and I'm not sure if it helps coming from the country or simply being a New Zealander makes you more easy going about things, but I found it very easy just to make my way through the paths and streets and without making ripples with people when I was on my own.

And it was very, VERY peaceful to be alone with my own thoughts for at least a little while.

It was actually quite nice and sunny and a little less windy strolling along the river, which is the opposite side to the beach. Felt a bit like the pied piper as I wandered as more and more children befriended me or ran off to get their friends and come to say hello.

I'm not sure if any Gaijin's (foreigners in Japanese) had been down that path before as people looked at once both startled/surprised/extremely curious/shy and happy to see me. And after adjusting their eyes for a few minutes each and EVERY person I passed bothered to smile and say a cheery hello.

Many families invited me into their home to watch telly or just stood by the fence talking to me, and one even wanted me to meet their disabled son as if touching him might bring good luck or something.

I hadn't a clue what they were saying to me as I walked past, I thought they wanted me to come in and buy food, so I smiled, shook my head, pointed to my water bottle and ambled on, only i was trusting my instincts today (its amazing how well they serve you when you listen) and decided to go back and see what they wanted.

I was ushered up some steps and into a living room where a young disabled man was sitting on a bed. I'm not sure what was wrong with him, but it was pretty clear he was disabled, from the deformity of the extremely thin limbs on his body and difficulty speaking.

I felt a little awkward not knowing what they expected me to do, so I sat down on the bed and said hello while his mother placed my palm in his. She was very keen to have her photo taken with him, though it broke my heart to do so as you can see the kind of self depreciating smile on his face in the photos I've sent with this email.

I also think he was rather smart though as he wrote an email address down for me to send a picture too and its sad that we often underestimate people judged on their outside appearances or assume that if someone has a disability they are also stupid when that is quite simply not always the case.

Like when some tourists who speak to foreign people speak louder and slower, but just because someone doesn't speak English doesn't mean they're stupid. People can tell a lot from your manner and body language and they know when you're being a prat.

And in my opinion I think it's sad that we don't value don't value disabled people highly enough because they actually are like GIFTS on this earth.

They really are. Because they remind us of the beauty of INNER STRENGTH.

Of what it is like to wake up every morning and face a myriad more challenges than most people just to get out of bed. They remind us of what it is like to be valued for who and what you are on this earth and not what you have or look like.

I think they are the essence of the beauty and pure strength of the human spirit and an absolute blessing to each and every one of us to remind us of what we have to be grateful of and what we are capable of. And they also remind us of the value of compassion towards others.

In my experience disabled people are often the ones with the biggest hearts, even though they are often the ones who receive the least love themselves.

That experience got me thinking of a disabled man that I used to see hobbling around the streets of Morrinsville. He had to walk as his disability wouldn't allow him to drive. And I used to think that every morning when he went out to face the world he was greeted with a million more challenges than me just because of judgements people would immediately make about him because of the way he looked, let alone the physical challenges he faced.

Whenever I got to thinking that life wasn't as great as I wanted that man used to inspire me because he reminded me of everything I should be grateful of rather than sulking about what I didn't.

And hope that reading this maybe he will inspire you too, because when you get to thinking about it, just start counting the little things like being able to see and hear, to even walk, things we all take so much for granted and yet they are not givens for all of us.

When you start counting those little things and work your way up then you forget what you don't have because you realise you have so much to be grateful for.

So if you ever do have the chance to meet a disabled person, please don't shun them because you feel awkward or uncomfortable, because there is so much beauty and inspiration to be found in life if only we take the time to be open to and experience it.