Disabilities

Disabilities

I  opened the TV the other day and the program happened to be W5. They were talking about  various disabilities that different people have to live with - physical, mental, emotional, or social ones like poverty, abuse, injustice, etc.  Some people just fold up with a disability. It becomes their master, totally crippling their life. What fascinated me however, were the ones who were able to do something positive with their lives in spite of their handicap, sometimes even capitalizing on their the very handicap that disabled them in the first place. That takes tremendous courage, determination and sometimes even anger or spite!

When the threat of eminent of danger confronts us, it can trigger that "inner warrior"  within us that makes all of us instinctively defend ourselves - sometimes utilizing mechanisms that we were unaware that we even possessed.  That survival instinct is probably stronger in some folks than in others, but perhaps some of us accept defeat too quickly. We have probably all seen the videos of the young fellow who was born with no arms and no legs who is so positive about his life that he now makes a living by giving motivational speeches at schools and social events.  You can see him on   http://youtu.be/ciYk-UwqFKA  

Now I know that is an extremely extreme case!!! However, determination  can take you a long way. I once wrote a poem called "Who said it was impossible?" Perhaps some of you may have read it, further back in this blog (also in my book "Roots- A Life in Review"and  in my upcoming poetry book "Images From a Pensive Mind").  One of the verses starts out with  "Who said it was impossible  to reach the rainbow's end?"

Life is all about --- Reaching.  If something is beyond our scope of capabilities, we try a different goal or perhaps a different route the the same goal or perhaps we modify the goal! The thing is Do not give up!  It is not our handicap that is our worst enemy, it is that defeatist attitude that disables us worse!!!


When my eye went back in '98, a doctor told me "We don't carry spare retinas!  Learn to live with it!  Other people do, you know".  While I would certainly not recommend that doctor to anyone, he did make me mad enough to fight my way back. Sometimes it takes "mad" to make you do something for yourself.