A Boy Named Lakhan: Part Two
"One morning in the second week, I had suddenly become aware of a smaller boy in the group of children in the five-to-six age range. He was noticeably not listening to the teacher and didn't have the materials the other children had. This smaller boy was always sitting. Was something wrong with his legs? I thought that perhaps I could be of help if I walked with him. I stepped among several children to move closer, and as I looked directly at him, I noticed that my look was returned. Reaching my hand out, I watched as he stood up and took several shaky steps toward me, then took my right hand. Moving his left hand into my left hand, and now taking his right one with mine, I guided him to stand directly in front of me. Asking the teacher for his name, with my back straight, I leaned slightly forward so Lakhan's hands were by his waist. We would move only if he took a step."*
By his third step, I quickly moved to stand beside him, then stepped back a bit so he was aware that he was the leader. Each time he stopped I made a mental note of what had drawn his attention. Then later each night I entered my notes into my computer. The earliest few lines had rapidly expanded to full-length pages.
Three and a half months later, Lakhan was walking independently on the playground, with me keeping within a few steps of him. At first, his favorite activity was watching the older children fold paper airplanes then send them soaring. He followed the flights with outbursts of laughter. Then we began to have our own activities. Our games included badminton and kick-and-return the big ball. In the badminton rules, I held his hand tightly beneath mine on the racket, dropped the birdie in front of the flattened surface, then strongly flicked the frame upward to send the birdie flying. Laughing and excited, Lakhan ran to it and I followed, as he expected me to repeat this from the new location. In the game of big ball, he would sit on the dirt with his legs spread wide while at a short distance I kicked the ball between them. With rapid hand movements that surprised me each time, he’d put his hands on the ball, look up to see if I was in the same place or had changed places—which I would do—and then with both his hands give the ball a strong push. Almost always, by his successful aim the ball reached me, and almost always, I remained surprised! He was surpassing my hopeful expectations!
In late March, as my departure date approached, I knew that I wanted to return in September to continue working with Lakhan. We had created a strong bond of friendship in which his curiosity had found a home in my creativity. This had become the strong foundation of our accomplishments together. While my success came from my intuitive guidance, Lakhan's came from following his own guidance unquestioningly, as I did mine.
I'll add a new thought that had occurred to me while I was writing this account. Lakhan has a sister who is about three years older and a brother who is about a year older. In all the years since he had been a baby, Lakhan had watched them walk with their parents while he had been carried. He was five when I met him. His siblings had sandals, he still went barefoot. Because his family lacked an understanding of what to do with him, he had become a kind of permanent baby. The boots* I purchased for him to practice walking on the playground with he now wore home each day, finally joining the family walkers.
The information below was taken from my daily children’s center notes about Lakhan.
Thurs. 11/30
Recognizes my face, stands up, takes 2 steps to me
Tues. 12/05
Reacts to self in tall mirror, moves face closer then farther away
Lying on the bed allows leg and arm exercises
Repeatedly pounds, pushes washroom door to be bathed
When being fed, puts hand on mine guiding spoon to his mouth
Mon. 12/12
Knocks on the washroom door with knuckles rather than holding his hand upside down and tapping with his fingernails
Drinks water from my small thermos cup using two hands. I put a small amount of water in cup. When he is ready for more, he reaches for my hand, pulls big cup toward him
This year, in February, I received an email from a friend. After seeing some photos of Lakhan that I had sent to her she wrote, "[In] the first photo you sent of him, he looked like a rag doll in your lap. Now he looks so happy."
My realization is, "When we find a heartfelt engagement in an unanticipated experience, may we offer simple thanks as we continue deepening our learning there."
* "A Boy Named Lakhan Part One," January 1, 2025, www.purelyprema.com.
https://purelyprema.substack.com.
* Boots are Lakhan's family's name for his trainers, the British name for American
sneakers.