Jul
20
2009

Persisting Through Disabilities

I just saw a video of Nick Vujicic, an amazing man who happily lives life without arms or legs. While watching it, I had an instant flashback to yesterday when my wife and I were out for a walk. We saw a man coming towards us and he had a metal, high-tech arm that was glistening in the sun. In the old days, we would have thought “disabled.” Now we thought, “That’s cool.” It has taken a long time, but the way society views disabilities is finally changing. On the other hand, I was training to run a half marathon next weekend, except now I have a bad case of heel spurs and can barely walk, let alone run. Guess the perception of disabilities that affect me personally hasn’t changed. They suck! The trick is to persist through them and keep going, just like Nick.

Click here to see Nick Vujicic video

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Written by richard in: 08 PERSIST |
  • http://freshperspectives.typepad.com/fresh_perspectives/ Mike Sporer

    I agree, Richard. Finally, perceptions are changing. I find that kids don’t stare at my wheelchair except out of curiosity about how it works. People in general are starting to change perceptions.

    Being progressively disabled is a bit different from an incident caused disability too. People disabled from birth have an attitude baseline, but getting hurt and becoming disabled is abrupt and requires immediate adjustment. It all sucks, but you learn to persist. There is also a place for acceptance in the whole scenario.

    Heel spurs aren’t funny! Best to rest, and I know how tough that is for you….

  • http://www.aliceteh.com Alice Teh

    Hi Richard, I hope you’ll feel better by the time the marathon approaches. I’d like to know how it goes. Good luck! :)

  • Claude Hill,IV.

    Hi Richard,

    I enjoyed the blog about the perception of what it means to be disabled in society today. Perceptions are indeed changing. When I discuss diversity scenarios with my college level freshmen seminar class, I make it a point to teach my students to have an open mind in terms of their environment, and their ever changing role in that environment.

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