Actually, "Disability" is pretty normal now days.

Think about it, 30 years ago if you have some form of disability especially if it was obvious, you were still kind of "odd" or dare I say "special". ("Them's fighting words." Some of my friends might say.) But now I think it is quite true that overall society has really begun to accept and expect disabled persons to be part of the larger society and, when possible, contribute fully.

From my perspective this is an astounding and welcome occurrence as the world and societies move forward. To be fair this "movement" isn't uniform, but we are I think as a whole evolving. I remember when the fight for curb cuts aka."curb side ramps" began in the city of Vancouver in the 1980s along with the remarkable people I met some of which are still as active as ever in the advocacy groups and planning departments. Now I must state for the record that my perspective is a little skewed. You see, my father had polio and he was one of the first, if not the first anaesthesiologist in Canada to practice his profession. This meant of course growing up I couldn't play the same "poor disabled me" routine on him.

Yet, I can't but wonder what life would be like had I been born into it average family structure. I have met people at my assisted living building who have a real sense of helplessness. Not because they are physically or mentally any more unfit than I but because I think their family went into shock and guilt at their birth or whenever the physical affliction manifested. They rushed in to do, what they perceived the child could not do and removed all obstacles which might pose a challenge. Accidentally in the process depriving the child of the very thing they need to get through life. To face a challenge, one must spend some time understanding it and then formulate a way to overcome it. Or if it cannot be overcome, be involved with those that help you deal with it.

The result of a far too easy life is that you stop growing and there is a tendency to habitually play the victim role. It gets you short-term attention but completely disempowers you and perpetuates inequality on multiple levels. By the time the family figures this out, the child or semi adult is still entrenched in these negative patterns that it really is a challenge to begin breaking the door down so to speak.

Appropriate challenges in life are what allow us to grow and expand giving us a far, far more enriched life. I treat my disability as a gift because it gives me something that all the "normals" seek that is to be unique. The challenges have given my brain food to expand on. It's like living on Mars without having to pay a ticket for the adventure. It's not a piece of cake but I bet you it's helped keep me an interesting character. And I love other interesting characters :-). True sometimes it does get nasty and difficult when dealing with political or physical issues. But that is part of the challenge it is all an opportunity to grow. And that's what people are here to do, Grow.

Being disabled may the end of the day may be the best kind of "normal" there is!
Just a thought.

Take care Patrick