A Matter of Perspective

I do have some updates to write about Sierra, which I will try to get to later today or tomorrow, but this was on my mind so I wanted to write it down.

Today Sierra and I went to the grocery store. While we were there, we saw a young man in an electric wheel chair. I'm guessing that he had cerebral palsy in addition to other disabilities. He obviously could not walk, his hands were spastic and not much use to him, he got around by using a stick attached to his forehead to move the wheelchair. I have to admit, I stared at him. But, it was not out of pity or to gawk.

I stared out of admiration. Here was a young man who was severely disabled but he did not let his disabilities disable him. He was at the store all by himself. The workers seemed to know him. One employee was chatting away with him and then another came to push a cart for him. This young man could not talk, but he had a computer screen in front of him that was a communication device. He did everything with the stick attached to his forehead. He communicated and maneuvered around the store. You could tell that it wasn't always easy to get around with the stick and get it in the right place, but that did not stop him. I didn't see a man to be pitied but a man to be admired and respected, not someone who was disabled, but rather someone who was enabled with determination and strength.

It is my hope and prayer that Sierra will be like this young man, in that she will have the determination and strength to continue going even when life is rough.