Karla's Chronicles

`This is a project I have wanted to do for quite some time now, but I was waiting on the right time to do it. I feel like today is the day, and I think it will be a great cathartic activity for me. So, here it is. An open letter to my cerebral palsy. Dear Cerebral Palsy, Although you are and have always been a part of me, I’ve worked hard to make certain I don’t allow you to consume my life. If I am honest, it has been a rather difficult process. Let’s start from the beginning though. In the beginning, I was not sure what to think of you. I did not know where this journey with a disability would take me. I would not describe this feeling as a feeling of distaste, but more of one of an uncertain path. I did not come to expect what I would learn about this world, even in my very first years. That is, that people are cruel. I do not know the reasoning for this. Maybe people just do not understand what they cannot imagine dealing with. Whatever the reason, I can say that my first tast...

The weather outside is less than pleasing, but I find that days like this are the best to try and hone my skills. This is the second installment in creative corner. Hiding from me Growing up differently from most people, I was always careful though not too careful about fitting in with others. In an effort to make some of the bullying and teasing stopped, I tried my best to fit in with anyone. Truth be told, though, I am not the type to form cliques or the type to gravitate towards a certain type of person. I am nice to whomever is nice to me., whether they are the popular kid or not. Making friends had never been a particular challenge for me. The challenge I was facing was with my inner being . I did not like myself at all, and I certainly did not trust myself at all. It would be months even years before I realized that I was essentially the problem. I had zero confidence. I was too afraid to look in the mirror because I didn’t like the person staring back at me. The saying that y...

Hey, guys, I am shaking things up a little bit and taking a break from my usual quote interpretations, and I am writing some poetry. I am going to call this installment creative corner. Hope you enjoy the different approach for a while! Happy Monday! “Holding hands” Your hand is wrapped around mine Our hands intertwined and our fingers dancing with each other Our heart beats perfectly in time We run through the rain As if time will escape us Stomping in the puddles And hitting each other in the face With the water Squealing with laughter Like a delighted child It is simplistic times like this When I realize I am really Fourtunate to have you You pick me up when I am blue Sometimes our love truly is Too good to be true

Unfortunately, bullying has been a problem for many people for years upon years. There is no easy answer to stop the stigmas attached to bullying . Bullying not only makes victims of it feel horribly about themselves personally at the moment which the mal treatment occurs, but it also means that they will have to deal with the residual scars of this treatment for years and perhaps decades to come. I was bullied from the time I was seven years old until about eighteen. I’ll be the first to tell you that it still affects my well-being. Yes, even fourteen years later. No matter how many times family or loved ones tell you that you are worth it & the world needs you to survive, the devil in your head always pops up and tells you otherwise. Those people who haven’t travelled this road may think it is rather simple to just “turn off that other voice in your head that arises with the negative thoughts. To those of us who have been victims of barrage of tumultuous treatment, it is not ...

Life is so instantaneous these days. If you really think about it, everything is based around electronics. For example, if you have a smartphone, it is almost if you have a computer small enough to fit into your pocket. Want to watch the news before you get home? No problem. You can just whip out your phone, scroll through the applications on your phone, and you can probably find a broadcast of news that has been live streamed. The world is at your fingertips! Want to listen to the radio, but don’t have a radio? Don’t worry, there are plenty of apps you can download on your phone that will provide you with music in your hands. Understand me clearly: This is not going to be a post bashing the use of our technology. I am definitely guilty of using these things because they are instant and can be used in many ways to keep in touch with people and have the privilege of talking to and inspiring others, especially when I am mostly homebound during the week. However, since instant is what ...

Life is about passion. Even from the very beginning as a child, it seems we always are thinking about which passion suits us best. As a kid, we are very much influenced by what our parents do or by what we see on TV, especially if it looks “cool” at the time. The idea of what we wanted to be as a kid is likely to change quite frequently by the time we reach adulthood. For example, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a pediatrician. This was influenced by playing with my baby dolls and my fischer price doctor kit. As I grew into a teenager, I realized that the mathematics and chemistry courses required to be a doctor were not made for a mind like mine. I wanted the venture into the helping professions without having to handle that heavy course load. I decided at 18, that I wanted to go into the field of counseling/social work. I pursued this field of study in college, and even for a short time, I even went beyond the bachelors degree and decided to go for my masters. College for me was...