Image description black suitcase with pink and white peonies
Traveling is one of my preferred activities. I love to travel and explore new places along with old favorites. My husband is my favorite travel companion and I love sharing adventures with him. Before I go on a trip, I pack my bags with clothes, toiletries and other things I need. My husband is more of a light packer, but appreciates having something he forgot packed when he needs it. I also have something that follows me not only on vacation, but every day. I cannot simply leave my disability at home or on a shelf somewhere. Having one is an accessory that is attached to me at all times and a journey I must travel on.
My journey began as a young child in school. My teacher saw that I was struggling in the classroom to learn, and count. I was handed the hefty bag of a diagnosis and a ticket for disability services. The bag was heavy, and felt crushing at times. I struggled to learn and make friends. I was bullied from a young age for having one. I wanted to hide the bag across the room and not have one weighing me down. I wanted a different journey than the one I was traveling. I often worried about the future and wondered if I could handle the trip ahead of me.
My trip with a disability did not end when I graduated from high school. I still had to carry it when I went to college and still found it difficult to handle. Slowly I began to find ways to manage it and found what accommodations worked best for me. I had to learn to break information into small chunks. I also used a note taker, tutoring and extended test time to help my brain process information.
To my surprise the journey did get easier as I aged. I began to find ways to learn and found talents that I had. Engaging in activities that I enjoyed and was good at helped me to develop more confidence and empowerment. I love to take pictures of flowers, read, and write stories. I am a much happier person when I engage in those activities rather than math related ones.
On my journey I also found other people who love and accept me for having a disability. I found my tribe of friends who share my interests, and are kind. I also have met my husband. I can remember thinking I would never be able to find someone who would love me with a disability, but I did.
I have also found employment on this trip with one. I have had employers who could not understand why I struggled to learn a new job quickly and process information. Other employers were not understanding that I could not line holes or staples, perfectly. None of those places were the right fit for me. I have worked with students as a a para educator and love it! All of the students know or will find out when school starts that I cannot help with math, but I can do other parts of job well.
I also discovered that I am not the only one on the journey with a disability. It is estimated that 1.3 billion people have a disability. Some disabilities are congenital meaning you are born with them and other ones are acquired. Even if a person does not have a disability, there is something that they cannot do or may struggle with. People need each other to live and succeed. I am lucky to have friends, parents, and a great husband in my support system.
Having a disability is a journey that will follow me for life. I will always have one, but it has become a way of life for me. I cannot detach from it and find a place to store it. Unlike the trips I go on I cannot escape from it. Having one is a reality that I have to face. I have to manage having one in school, work, the community and in my personal life. The bag no longer feels as heavy or cumbersome. It can be inconvenient at times but I have learned how to work with it. I have also met other people who travel this journey with me. I am certainly not alone in this. Life is too short to let a disability get in the way of traveling, working, loving, or enjoying your life. I intend to fully live each moment in this journey of having a disability.
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