We left to take a small dead-end road leading off Mauron (Morbihan) to bring bean tops to our neighbour’s sheep. We honked the horn so that the sheep would come out of their shelter, and then we turned around.
We noticed a man coming towards us. He walked with 2 crutches. We stopped and he said: “I thought you were in the ditch; I was ready to get my tractor to pull you out”.
We explained why we had honked the horn, taking time to get to know each other. “Oh! He said, I was born without legs. You see, on the left, I have a prosthesis but on the right nothing. If that had happened today, I would not have been born. My mother would have had an abortion after having an ultrasound. I suffered a lot in my childhood. And yet, my mother loved me a lot and I loved her. She supported me with patience because I was difficult. And you? Are you from around here?”.
“Yes, we live in Mauron, we are sisters. Maybe we’ll see each other from time to time.”
He continued telling his story. “Very early on, I was placed in a boarding school for the handicapped run by a community of brothers. They were very strict. For the slightest mistake we were punished. One of the brothers was nicer and more understanding. His face was radiant and sympathetic. I liked him a lot. One day he said he wanted to see me in his office. I was scared and convinced that he was going to punish me! I went, feeling very apprehensive. Right away he told me, “I watched you in the school yard. You’ve got quite the temperament; you know how to assert yourself and defend yourself forcefully. You can put your temperament to good use or use it for what is bad: it’s your choice! If you choose the good, you will be transformed.” He looked at me with affection, encouragement and warmth…I will never forget it.”
So, I decided to put all my energy into serving the good. Later, I belonged to associations where there was a lot of mutual support: every day I was able to put my decision into practice. While attending a training session in the Paris region I met the woman who would later become my wife. Since she was from the East of France, I came with her to settle in Mauron. We have three children. I work as a farmer, and I am very happy.”
We could see it for ourselves that this man was radiant, sociable and joyful. We promised ourselves we would return.
Srs. Marie-Odile Caudard – Anne-Marie Neige