Qoute of The Day

Thursday, March 1, 2012

So I came across this quote in the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities:  "Disability is a natural part of the human experience..."  Not sure why, but I find this a bit disturbing.  While I've always been disabled, I don't feel that it is natural.  It's hard to look out into a world where it seams like you are the only one that's not "normal"  and see your disability as natural.    While Cerebral Palsy is not considered a progressive disability; as I age and my life changes the CP affects me differently.  It's dismissed as natural phase of aging.  I understand this; but it's hard to see as natural when you're aging in your mid 30's whenever one around you seams to be in their prime.   It's not that I truly hate being disabled, I don't.  I don't exactly love it, But I do see it as a gift that God has blessed me with.    (Even throughout the bible, many stories of great blessing also include great trails.)    Part of me does see the CP as natural.  It's all I've ever known and I have adapted.  It some ways that's a good thing; you have to face reality.  However, in another way, part of me doesn't want to set my disability as natural.  I don't want  to just accept my CP; I don't want the CP to define me.  I want to constantly strive to do my best and often  when I accept things, I tend not to.     One of the hardest things about being disabled is that strong desire to be independent.  A disability robs you of this; to a certain degree.  And sometimes to accept  it means to give into it.