I cry at sad movies. I need two cups of coffee in
the morning. I sleep naked. I believe curiosity doesn’t kill the cat, stupidity
does. I like kids who are curious. I scratch if I itch. I know that if you hold
down that little lever in the fridge the light goes off. I vote my conscience.
I get mildly upset—no, pissed—when someone takes my parking space. I inhaled. I
believe no one should salt their food before tasting it. I sew. I think
super-heroes don’t exist, but heroes are all around us. I eat leftover pizza
for breakfast and enjoy it. I wait until April 14th to do my taxes just for a
challenge. I count fat grams. I like a hot kiss on a warm night in a cool part
of town. I ate glue in 2nd grade. I like verbs. I always reach around the first
milk in the dairy section and grab the one behind it. I wear my emotions on my
sleeve…sometimes. I dream big dreams in color.
Being disabled doesn’t mean
being different.
I’m a person just like you. With feelings, opinions and
convictions. Do your part. Help eliminate the barriers facing persons with
disabilities. Encourage and invite disabled individuals to your parties and
playgrounds. Choose places that are accessible. Let kids ask questions—it’s
okay. And please, watch where you park your car.
You can make a difference.
I originally
wrote this in 1997, 10 years before being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. A
woman, a talented abstract artist, needed help expressing herself—and conveying
her experience of using a wheelchair—in print. As an able-bodied 27-year-old
writer, I found it empowering and enlightening to approach the challenges of
being disabled from such a perspective. For this 2014 edition, only one change
was made (for somewhat obvious reasons): I removed the line “I check the pay
phone coin return slot even though I know I won’t find a quarter.” Was I
destined to be a voice in this community I’ve come to embrace and champion?
Signs point to yes.
6 comments:
I think you did a great job when you can see the disability. You might try to slide in some words applicable to the fortunate folks whose disability is not obvious at all. We live in a slightly different world where we may only suffer from fatigue, tingling, etc and that is not easy to get anyone, even a spouse sometimes to understand.
Spot on, Dave! I always think of the things in my life that have changed with MS. So nice to be reminded of what hasn't changed, the essential me. But I still find it crazy that getting a handicap parking spot (or not!), can make or break my day!
Anon1, good point, one that I am far more aware of now. I'm lucky to have such good spousal understanding.
Anon2, ever notice the spots are usually full when it is 95 degrees out? Doh!
I'm not sure if MS has changed us--or just old age. Great write-up.
I also checked the pay phone coin return...till I remembered how, as kids, we would spit in them!
(Dumb kids, I know.)
MOS, I wondered why those darn things were sometimes wet! Damn kids. That would never happen today, with parent-operated drones watching a child's every footfall.
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