About Us: Firsthand Accounts on What it Means and How it Feels to Live with a Disability.
Edited by Peter Catapano and Rosemarie Garland-Thomson
While I don’t normally use my blog to recommend a book, this is simply too powerful to go unacknowledged. About Us shares 60 essays that speak to the very core of life as a disabled individual. The one I’ve selected to share goes to the heart of what everyone of us needs to understand, embrace and demonstrate. The chapter is: “10 Things My Chronic Illness Taught My Children” by Paula M. Fitzgibbons.
- They have acquired patience.
- They have developed flexibility
- They have learned to be self-sufficient.
- They have learned to be considerate.
- They have witnessed commitment in action.
- They have developed compassion.
- They have learned not to judge by appearance or jump to conclusions.
- They have developed an appreciation for service.
- They have learned that abilities do not define a person
- They have learned that it is OK to experience pain and express strong emotions.
What would this world be like if everyone, each of us, would learn and truly embrace these lessons as we go through life – healthy or otherwise? Just stop to imagine a world without judgment, a world where all individuals cared about one another, lent support and offered unconditional love and understanding. Imagine a world where being of service to others was the norm and that fear, loneliness and depression could be substituted with human-kindness. Just imagine if each of us simply took it upon ourselves to incorporate these lessons in our daily life and demonstrating by example showed others a beautiful way to live. I welcome your comments.
