Nothing is Impossible...

Took some liberties with this story. Am writing a book, hope to be published.

In another story, there was a blind man who wanted to see again.

Perhaps, he had heard about the wondrous view from the mountaintops near his birthplace, or to just catch a glimpse of the woman by the marketplace, the one with the jangling bracelets and musical voice. She always had a kind word for him, even though many people, even children, ridiculed him. He thought it was perhaps he looked like a freak. And a freak he was, the only one in town who had this incurable condition. Some said he was ill-fated and felt sorry for him, throwing him a pathetic glance and then going about their daily affairs. Others labeled him a jinx and did not want to cross paths with him. He was shy by nature, he grew shyer with the ostracism.

All his life, he was told he could not do this, he could not do that, because of his disability. He wanted so badly to see. He wanted to live a full life. But he knew that was virtually impossible. Hadn’t all the doctors told his grieving mother that nothing could be done? Mother spent the family fortune passed down from their landowner- grandfather to search for a cure, for a miracle. They tried everything. From village cures to posh hospitals, they went to it all. Mother died one day, leaving him all alone in his dark world. It was said that he had cursed his mother to an early death. But he knew better. Mother died of a broken heart.

Years later, the villagers did not even call him by his name anymore. No one knew or remembered his name. And no one bothered to ask. They just referred to him as “blindman”, The one who cannot see. By this, he seemed to be even more alienated in the village. But there was nothing he could do. He only had one fervent wish – that was to be able to see, to open his eyes for the first time, for he had this affliction since birth.

One day a stranger named Jesus visited their locale. He was said to be mysterious, had eyes that saw everything. Blindman couldn’t know this, no one bothered to tell him. Yet he listened to the crowd, the way he always did. Listening was the only thing he was good at; it was a pity it was not a valuable commodity that could be traded for a better life. He listened to everything – the neighbor’s quarrels about money, the playful banterings of the children in the elementary school. He heard the words that people say over the graves of their loved ones and the gentlest of whispers between lovers on the night of their union.

The crowd whispered about this guy, was he a magician, a trickster, or the genuine stuff? He was said to have a magnetic personality, his words could move stones, and cause people to love again, to be transformed. In more ways than one, Blindman hoped that the village would love him,too. He was deprived of love all his life, except for that which only his mother had shown him.

He felt a tap on his shoulder, and through the hushed whisperings of the crowd, knew that Jesus was here. “Yes?” – he found himself answering. Jesus called him by his name, the name that his mother had given him out of love. His mother named him after the person she loved most in her life, his father – her husband.

“Bartimaeus.”

The crowd gasped and murmured amongst themselves – How could Jesus know his name when no one else knew…?

“Yes?”

He answered feebly, knowing that he was in the presence of a powerful person, someone who could possibly grant him freedom even though he did not know exactly how.

Jesus whispered to him, and having no one paying him any attention for years, Blindman burst into tears. The tears could not stop. It did not stop. He heaved huge, shuddering sobs that carried away a lifetime of unhappiness.
Jesus asked,
“Do you believe that I am able to help you to see again?”

Blindman listened. He gripped the hand that was resting on his shoulder firmly. And softly said,

“Yes...help me please.”
Jesus smiled and gently stepped back.

“According to your faith, it will be done.”

Blindman/Bartimaeus used his dirty fingers to wipe off the tears still glistening upon his face. When he lifted his hand to touch his eyes, he found that they were red and swollen. He frowned as the light was too bright, he could barely keep them open.

Then he realized, that he could see, perfectly.

Nothing is impossible to him who believes.