The previous entry needs a little more work.
Pride has to do with my ability or inability to ask for help. Prejudice has to do with what I take responsibility for in my life versus what I don’t. Both pride and prejudice occur when, “We just want to go on with life.”
What does it mean to “just go on with life?” To me it can mean so many things. A few examples… It’s when I do something just because I think it’s expected without asking myself why. It’s when I feel a certain way but I do an action without taking time to understand the feeling. It’s when I spend all of my time just trying to get by.
I can easily know when I’ve been in that “just going on with life” process when I all of a sudden I ask myself… “How did I get here?” “What do I want out of life?” “Am I happy?” And yes… there are times in life when this mechanism serves us quite well. But not forever!
The ability to ask for help is such a vital part of getting out of this, “just going on with life” process. Knowing when and for what I need to ask for help is essential for me to take responsibility for my life. When I’m ambivalent about my needs, instead of asking for help, I become demanding. When I’m ambivalent about my needs I can be frustrated or angry inside. When I’m ambivalent about my needs (emotional) I’m looking for others to fulfill them.
A disability can be… could be… is… was… will be… has been…
Painful
Unattractive
Imaginary
Hurtful
Real
Intimidating
Physical
Mental
Feelings
Emotional
Spiritual
Debilitating
Enlightening
Powerful
Energetic
Fun
Work
Persuasive
Inspiring
Humbling
Perceived
Humiliating
Powerful
Limiting
Attitude
As I stated in my “Mission Statement”, a disability is anything that keeps us from doing, or trying, or feeling good about ourselves. A disability is anything negative that we perceive about ourselves. BUT… a disability is also any positive attributes that we have that we don’t believe about ourselves.
TO BE DISABLED OR NOT TO BE DISABLED? THAT IS THE QUESTION.
IT’S A CHOICE!
You can be a person with a disability and yet not be a disabled person or vice versa.
“When we just go on with life,” we miss the chance, we miss the choice,
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1 comment:
Charlie,
I learn so much from the tone of your writing, which is an expression of the tone of your thinking.
Underneath the uncertainty suggested by the questions is a confident certainty that is expressed in your actions.
You have a unique perspective on life and that perspective makes you one of the most ENABLING people I know.
Shine on!
Nataraj
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