In honor of Memorial Day and my friend Stella Wetterhahn … Stella Was A World War II Veteran and a Nurse. She will be in my heart forever. Every Saturday, after my workout, I get on a bus and head Downtown to meet my friend Stella.
I came across a book called “Everybody Belongs: Changing Negative Attitudes toward Classmates with Disabilities.” by: Arthur Shapiro. The book was written several years ago and yet the themes from the book apply easily in 2019.
I am almost 44 years old. I work and own my own home. I earned more than one college degree. Does it sound like I am reciting a resume? Sometimes I feel that way in my interactions with the world.
Regardless of whether a person has a disability or not, we all want to connect. We all want to have a ‘place’ where we belong. When I refer to the concept of place, I do not mean the bricks and mortar of a building.
There are volumes of literature about the transition to adult life and self-determination for people with disabilities. An article entitled “Advice from Adults with Physical Disabilities on Fostering Self-Determination during the School Years” sparked some reflections about my own upbringing.
Back in 2011, I was walking to get my lunch and passed a young child whose face creased, turned into a scowl, and then the unmistakable question mark appeared.
The roadrunner is a bird made famous by its name and ability to run up to 20 miles per hour. While the Roadrunner can fly, it stays mostly on the ground.
Our culture has introduced the idea of inclusion (age appropriate participation with our peers) for years.
I started to become aware of the existence of my disability through the stares and general lack of awareness of other people around the age of four. I did not feel different.
I have read too many articles that feature a story about an individual with a disability who has not been served or who has been turned away from a gym or some other public facility because staff did not know how to provide for or accommodate the need of the individual.
