I was still a teenager brimming with ideas and dreams when I lost my eyesight to an autoimmune condition. I could not come to terms with the fact when people called me 'bechari', saying I would be a ‘boj’ or burden forever. It was then that I became a rebel trying to fit in the ‘normal' world. Over a period of time I realised that people with disability are generally perceived to be the ‘becharas’ because able-bodied people are clueless about our ability. It was then that I stopped proving myself to the world and started working on a bucket list which would help me experience life.

I had a list of things I wanted to do and at the top of the list was to live independently, because that would give me the confidence in myself. When I first moved to Bangalore from Delhi, I stayed with my brother. Later, when the team at Being You told that they had connected with NestAway to give me a rent-free house, I was elated. I felt like I was floating. Yes, it did take time to digest but when I did, I soaked in every moment of it.

Today, this is the place I call home. My home. I am staying alone even if it is for a short period. My family was skeptical on how could their little princess stay all by herself in a new city but I knew that if I did not grab the opportunity, I would never muster the courage to do it. When my family came to check the property, they were so bowled over. From having ‘me’ time to calling friends and family over, this is the perfect place to be in. At some time or the other, most people have fantasised about winning something and how it could change their life. I am living it now.

My home is my little nest and though I am here only for a short while, I am tending it with care and love. It is a place where my friends hang out and never want to leave, my folks are proud of the way I maintain it and someday I hope to serve them more than egg burji and Maggi. Next on my list is backpacking to Kerala.

For a girl with only 8% vision, I have dreams and want to do more. Experiences are what make our life complete. Take risks and enjoy the journey. It is a dream come true to live my bucket list and believe that I can indeed do it.
Sakshi Srivastava

PC: Mohamed Rafi

Please do not use/share this as an independent post. Being You © 2019

Sakshi, who is living out her bucket list to experience life, got one of her wishes of living independently fulfilled. Being You partnered with NestAway to tick off an item in Sakshi's bucketlist and make Bangalore home. Today, thanks to NestAway, she proudly calls Bangalore her home