To Teach or To Tell

So, today is National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day! Woohoo! It's strange, but even I have a hard time asking people who are different from me what makes them so. This month I've learned that I should ask people questions about their differences the same way I would like to be asked about mine...with kindness and curiosity. I find that most people ask about my disability or why I walk the way I do because they don't know, but they would like to. I feel that we the disABLED should take it upon ourselves as the truly gifted individuals we are to TEACH the world of us instead of just TELLING. The only way one can learn is to ask the hard questions and seek the answers. As you speak to a person who is ignorant (uneducated) of the facts you must take the time to TEACH them those facts; we shouldn't just assume that they know them.

Enlightenment not Condemnation.

So, I've learned quite a few things as I've grown and matured.  There will never be a time when everyone agrees with everthing you say, people will always disagree on things, and people and circumstances are walways changing.  When you are speaking to people that have view on certian topics that are polar opposite to your own you need to approach that person ortopic with the idea that it is not really your job to completely change their way of thinking. It is your job to nudge them along the "mind changing path.". Take the course of ENIGHTENMENT not CONDEMNATION!

WTH Would I do w/o Social Networking and Internet?!??!

Wow I was just thinking about this yesterday! I am so totally connected at the hip with all my electronic devices because they are how I keep up with the ever changing world around me! You know I could probably read and study more without these devices: oh wait I can do both on my iPad, iPhone, or Laptop. Since I've started using Twitter again I have connected with so many different people it is so amazing! I used to think "oh you know this person is just some author, activist, world changer that I will never meet so you know whatever!" Now my view has totally changed I've met all those mentioned above and it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I've been able to reach people from everywhere and I love it! So yeah my life would be totally DIFFERENT if I was not as connected to the rest of the world as I am now! The phrase "ignorance is bliss" is now so backward to me! KNOWLEDGE AND CONNECTIONS ARE POWER! USE YOUR RESOURCES! They are aplenty!

The Story Behind the Tattoo

When I was little due to my Cerebral Palsy I was made fun of a lot. The stares and whispers still happen but not as often as they used to. I'm sure that anyone with/without a disability can relate in some way to the feeling of being ostracized. The teasing got me down, but I tell you my Auntie and my mom would never let anything hold me down for long! To cheer me up my Auntie used to send me giraffe related stuff with that she would always say "keep your head up just like a giraffe" so over time I developed a thing for the animal. My love for giraffes rekindled itself during my trip to Africa when we saw giraffes in "person" on our safari! Now as it always has the giraffe represents a certain Grace, COURAGE, and Strength to me. So I guess you could say that the giraffe is the mascot for my disability. That is why this tattoo is totally ME! It takes true COURAGE stand again after you've fallen the key is to do it anyway!