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When have you dealt with the reality of how people perceive you due to your disability?

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Valuable perceptions (for once)

Name: Laurie Crosby
Email: Lotuslaurie@aol.com
Date: 16 Apr 2001
Time: 22:36:46

Story

One day I was reading a magazine called "The Sun," and I came across an interesting letter. It was written by a man who had read a previous article that talked about disabilities. He wrote something that made me take offense at first, but, as I read it through the second time, I became greatly empowered by it.

He wrote that he would rather cross the street than pass someone in a wheelchair because seeing that person would remind him of all the good things he had in his life (like walking) -- of how he squandered those things on a daily basis and of how he still looked at his life like it was not enough. To this man, I bring up issues that could foster personal growth in the future. On the flip side, whenever people would tell me I was an "inspiration," I could not figure out why. Then I realized that these people saw that I was in a wheelchair and could still laugh and smile and that they thought it was amazing because they could never imagine themselves ever smiling again if they became disabled.

While most people look down on disabled people, I think there are also those who feel intimidated by us and our strength to cope.

Copyright © 2001 Laurie Crosby. All rights reserved.

Last changed: October 20, 2003

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