I said at the beginning of this blog, it’s all about the attitude. People might see at first sight a person in a wheelchair. Have a conversation with them and after a few minutes, they might just see in you a very awesome friend they would love to hang out with more.
The fact is, we are all different. Some of us have blue eyes, other have them brown or green, some are taller, others are shorter and the list could go on forever. Why not try to see the disability just as one of the things which makes each individual unique? I see people talking about it as the biggest curse in their life and not allowing them to enjoy life, and I see the people on the other extreme, who see it as some sort of blessing or a gift which makes them “special” – which is also bad sometimes, as these people tend to become solitary, since they are too “special” to be around other people. NO. We’re all NORMAL, in our own way. Normality is an abstract thing, and it’s different from individual to individual. Don’t make it a HUGE deal, either bad or good. It’s not a big deal, it’s like having blue eyes or blonde hair. It’s just who you are.
Also, when you meet someone new, DON’T talk over and over again about your condition. Talk about your interests, your hobbies, favorite TV shows, music, anything you would actually want to share with that person. Act natural, do small talk until you are being asked about it. Then kindly answer and give some background, but don’t turn it into a never ending talk. Not only that they might actually start looking at you in a different way (which you don’t want, if you want to have a normal social life), but some could even start feeling uncomfortable not knowing what to say. Usually, when I’m being asked about my own condition, after telling them briefly, I add “oh but don’t worry, it won’t ever stop me from doing anything I want to do.” I see people tend to become depressed after hearing stuff like that, and I wouldn’t want to have in front of me someone who’s depressed over my own issues. So they smile with me and then the conversation carries on changing the subject.
I like to think that none of my close friends ever considered me “the girl with the wheel walker”. People tend to even forget about it. However, make sure you let them know subtelly about your limits. For example, my boyfriend knows that I can’t go to a certain bar with him because it’s deep underground and has some horrendous stairs I can’t descend. But considering that some things are obvious, this shouldn’t be a problem. Just smile and let them know. Hey, there are lots of people who are lactose intolerant and can’t eat certain things, and let’s not forget the allergies some have, or even strange phobias, like fear of balloons! There’s nothing embarassing in not being able to do a certain thing or be in a certain place. Everyone has this issue at some point in their life, don’t let this make you scared of going out or being in a social environment. There are lots of things anyone can do.
In the end, I would just like to add that there are always exceptions: narrow-minded people who stare and refuse to see you as you are, and would rather resume at your physical condition… let’s say that they have a “twisted” view of what normality is. Those people are not worth to worry about, so carry on, enjoy life and let them live in their own little world filled with perfectly abled people. The will eventually end up being all alone and sad and wonder where they went wrong when they chose the people they thought they needed around. You don’t need those people, that’s a sure thing.
If anyone gets the movie refference, just “Smile and wave!” :)
0 comments until now.
Post a Comment