This is the beginning of a new series of blogs I am writing that will explore and explain the world of disability quotes and inspiring words designed to help those of us affected by them live a more positive life.
These quotes can range from simplistic to more complex. They can be found on google images. All you must do is search disability images and quotes of all kinds will appear at your fingertips. The quote I would like to discuss is “disability does not mean inability”. This quote could not be filled with more truth. From personal experience and from people’s lack of experience, I know that many assume that having a disability means that you are not as capable as most. Speaking from a viewpoint where people lack interaction with the disabled population, I have heard things like “ I am so happy to see you out and about” or “I am so glad you seem happy”
Deep down inside, I know they mean well, and I figure that they don’t have a ton of experience with the disabled population so I tend to thank them and continue to move on. Of course, on my side, I’m thinking, of course, I am happy & of course, I am out. I am human, and just like everyone else, I enjoy the opportunity to get away from the house and get out on the town. It is my assumption that the people that insinuate those sorts of things tend to picture the disabled as being too ill to enjoy their life. While that may be the case some of the time, it is not always a factor. We are the same as everyone else, we just may need a little extra help doing daily things that are necessary to function.
Another example that people are often surprised by is the fact that I have a college degree. I’ll be honest. Sometimes, this fact surprises me considering I came extremely close to not even finishing high school. That’s a story for another blog, though. However, I am extremely proud that I can that I have achieved one of the highest levels of education. The information I learned in school often comes in handy, especially now that I am dealing with chronic pain. I hear “Wow, you are my only client with a college education!” Yes. Despite hating most of my younger years in school, I did not want to stop learning new things and gaining knowledge to help the people who needed it most!
Living with a disability can be very challenging and no one’s experience with their respected disability is the same. There may be a person you know who has the same type of Cerebral Palsy as you do, yet they are affected totally differently. On occasion, having a disability will drag you down and the devil on your shoulder will surely try to convince you that you can’t do something. It can be extremely taxing to complete certain activities, especially on a less than desirable pain day. However, it is of utmost importance to remember that the sun will rise and shine on the verge of a new day, and so will we!
Disabilities do limit us in some ways physically, but if you have a strong piece of mind and an abundant amount of strength, you can push as hard as possible to ward off the negativity. I am not naïve, and I know that some days are going to be bad and you might even take to feeling pity for yourself. This is a normal action, whether you have a disability or you are able bodied. On these days, it is a good idea to remember the things that you do have, especially considering your abilities. Make a list if you must. Heck, even take to wishing upon a star if you must! I know everyone remembers the magic and purposefulness of Disney! The best thing we can do ultimately is remember that our limitations are not the end of the world! They are just there to test our limits, and we are here to prove we can rise well above them!
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