The Road of having a disability

Image Description: A road with flowers and trees 

Having a disability has been a road that I have to travel on. Sometimes the road is smooth and straight. Other times it has been rough and curvy with many sharp turns. The road is a lifelong journey.

The beginning of the road was not an easy start. It was full of gravel and rocks as I tried to learn. My peers traveled a road that seemed smoother and learned with ease. I could not travel the main roads. Instead, I needed to have curves and detours of specialty instruction, and accommodations.

Having to travel the alternative roads was not easy. I had to work extra hard and often stumbled. How I desperately wanted to be on the same road as everyone else. Often times I was bullied for not being on the same road.

The journey of how I viewed it was not a straight one. I had people who told me not to use it as a crutch or not to get dependent on accommodation. Accommodations come with a stigma of cheating or giving a person an unfair advantage. When I used the services, I struggled with guilt and shame.

Other people have thought that I don’t have a disability because they cannot see it. People have told me that I need to try harder or think positively. Positive thinking or trying harder has not been helpful. Neither has the advice You can do whatever you put your mind to. Some roads are blocked or impassable. Instead, I have to find a way around it or need to go in a different direction. There are sometimes things I simply cannot do such as math or driving.

The road has not always been difficult though. Along my journey I had the chance to see many beautiful flowers. The slower pace has given me the opportunity to sniff the flowers. I also get the chance to snap pictures of blooms on my walks. I have also had the chance to meet many people on this journey.  Once I learned how to manage it, the trip became much easier and more beautiful.

Traveling the road of having a disability is a lifelong journey. I have no choice but to travel in rain, sunshine and snow. At times the road has not been the easiest to travel on and has led to difficulties. Other times the road has been a easier experience for me. I have now found joy and contentment of the road I am on and could not imagine another one.