Why Should Physical Disability Be A Barrier To True Love?

Laxmi Kathuria has been a wheel-chair user since childhood but that didn't stop her from achieving her dreams and also marrying the love of her life. She chats with SheThePeople.TV and shares her journey.

Childhood

I was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita which didn't allow me to move, bend or walk. I was 3 when my mother left me because I was a burden for her. It was my father who brought me up with a lot of love and care and motivated me to excel in studies. I studied hard and got admitted to Delhi Technological University where I made some really good friends.

Friendship with Shashi

I was scrolling through Facebook in 2010 when I got a friend request from Shashi. We had a mutual friend and so I accepted it. We began chatting. I told him about my disability on the first day itself. He didn't think of it as a barrier. We hit it off well.

Both of us were pursuing engineering at that time and had lots of things in common. Our fondness for each other grew with time. Two months later, we exchanged numbers. He proposed to me but I was a bit hesitant to commit to someone because of the bitter experiences I had in my past relationships. 'You live in Bhubaneswar. I am a Delhiite. How will the long-distance relationship work?', I asked him but he was adamant. My friends also counselled me and I agreed.

Suggested Reading : Who Says You Can’t Marry A Blind Person ?

Getting into a long-distance relationship

He would fly down to Delhi every month to meet me. He was the most caring person I had ever met. He treated me as an equal and was very particular about my likes and dislikes. After being in a long-distance relationship for a few years, we decide to move-in together

By then, I was convinced that he was the guy I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. My father was also happy with the relationship but his family didn't approve of it. 'We understand that you are friends and fell in love but you don't have to marry her. Lovers can part ways and it is normal', they told him but he didn't leave my side.

Marriage

We got married last year in 2021. It was an interabled wedding. His parents didn't turn up for the wedding. A few months ago, we decided to visit his place and were taken by surprise when his family welcomed us whole-heartedly. That was the happiest day of my life.

From being bullied at school for being differently abled to working in a reputed company and marrying the person I love the most, my life is no short of a fairy tale."

Watch Laxmi Kathuria's full story here.