Feeling--tired
Reading-- Silver Master by Jayne Castle
Listening to-- nothing

Once again, 'tis time for the next Disability Blog Carnival (on Oct. 25th). *quick smile* This time the hostess is Kara Sheridan, over at If the World Had Wheels. And her chosen theme is If... Should have seemed simple enough, right? Wrong. *soft chuckle* It leaves the participant wide open to many things, many avenues of exploration. And if you're not hit with enough inspiration, or struck by a certain idea...if you're like me, you're left wondering in which direction you should go.

But I found my inspiration, thanks to Emma. She showed me two poems she's thinking about using as inspiration for her own: If by Rudyard Kipling and the one below that I've chosen to use.

Children Learn What They LiveIf a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child learns to feel shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.

Dorothy Law Neite

As I read this poem I couldn't help but think of my niece and nephews. Or, for that matter, my brothers and sisters who grew up with an older sister who has Cerebral Palsy. Then I thought on those kids, who through the years, have stared or made fun of me behind my back. And of course, the ones who were/are curious enough to ask: "What's that?"; "Why do talk funny?"; "Why don't your legs work?" I'm also reminded of a guy online I once wanted to get to know better--in person. *sighs, thinking on how my assosciation with him ended on a flat, anti-climatic note*

In the entry I wrote for this year's Blogging Against Disablism Day, I said I thought "being in a wheelchair or having a friend in a wheelchair [or having a disability] should be an experience people have. Because a wheelchair [or disability] changes your perspective." And it's true...they do. I think having such experiences help people to be more open-minded, more sympathetic and compassionate, more socially aware. My brothers and sisters, and now my niece and nephews, are lucky I think--and by no means am I meaning to sound arrogant here when I say this--to have grown and be growing up around someone who has a disability. They are and will be people who take others on their own merit, whether those others are able-bodied or disabled in some way. They are the child(ren) who has/have lived with the positive principles and learned the positive qualities mentioned in the poem.

The unlucky ones--or the unfortunate ones might be a better name--on the flipside of the coin, are the child(ren) who've/has lived and learned the negative...er, metaphorically speaking. They are the ones who've not grown up with a disabled person in their spheres of existence. They're are blithely ignorant of what we are really like and what we need as far as participating in and being constructive, busily engaged citizens of our communities. To them, we are unknown...variables, for lack of a better word...and it is human nature to fear the unfamiliar.

That was definitely the case with Evan, the guy online whom I'd tried getting to know. Everything between us was good for a while. It seemed, except for religion, we had a lot in common, and were on our way to becoming good friends. But then I told him one day about my disability, and that I'm in a wheelchair. Shortly thereafter, the budding friendship went on a downward spiral and never recovered really, even though a half-hearted effort was made to revive it. At first, he lied and came up with excuses of why he disappeared for days on end. Finally he just blurted out the truth: He's never been around someone in a wheelchair before, and he couldn't handle the fact I'm disabled. It (the association) ended finally one evening, in the middle of our last IM conversation. He just signed out and never contacted me again. And I never tried to communicate with him after that either. He was a narrow-minded coward who gave up what could have become a great friendship. I'm glad my niece and nephews will never be like that.

Emma also recently showed me a commercial from France I'd never seen before and took an instant liking to. It showed me what the world could be like if things were reversed.

It was done by an electric company, and, basically what they're saying is more public agencies and services are available for everyone. It won some type of advertising award even. As much as I like it though, and think it's quite funny in an ironic way, I think it shows the opposite end of the spectrum of potential "oneness or unity" we're living in. Right now--well, let me show you all--

The accessibility and conveniences right now are mostly geared for the majority of the world: the able-bodied. But since the Disability Movement began, inroads have been made to even up the odds for those who are disabled. The commercial from France slides everything the other way, to where we are the majority. *slight smile* While that might feel good and about time, I can't help preferring the middle, where the world's accessibility and conveniences are made for both types of people. Where both are treated equal. You know what they say! "All things in moderation!" That's the best way to be!

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Yesterday
02-09-2012 Thursday 13: Netflix
02-10-2012 Rainbow Crow
02-11-2012 My Crow Project
02-12-2012 Crow: Keeper of All Sacred Law
02-21-2012 My Book List for 2012

moon phase