I have been reluctantly thrust into advocacy, at times, in my life when I did not choose to be. I do not like speaking about my CP when I am the only physically challenged person in the room. It feels wrong because every physically challenged person’s experience is so different, and my experience is just
Tag: Chosen Family
Every person in the world wants and needs love. Little girls, often, dream of being a princess and their true love coming to rescue them from typical life on a white horse. Fairy tales capture our imaginations and help us to dream big. I dreamed of my true love too, but then I figured out
Once when I was shopping alone at the mall, I was in the elevator with a mother, her children, and some of her children’s friends. The children were all girls. The mother (to the youngest): “Move ___. People like her will run over your toes.” I turned around to the adorable, little, girl who was
A few years ago, I stretched out on the floor grabbing my phone as I did. I sent texts to a few of my chosen siblings to get much needed perspective. I was close to throwing things. My big brother/fellow political scientist came through in spades. He told me what I needed to hear. It
Yesterday was International Women’s Day. In honor of that I want to salute the important women in my life who have helped make me the person I am and will be. I come from a line a of strong women. Their strength was definitely passed down to me by both DNA and example. In addition,
Due to my type A personality, I am far more critical of myself than anybody else. My chosen brother and crazy/beautiful journey partner and I have been working on it together, in some form, since we were 15. A few months ago, I told him something must give. This is absurd. I feel like I
I did not know until a few years ago that there was such a thing as Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. It took me by surprise, actually. My initial thought was: “Really? We need one?” It actually bothered me, at first, because I did not want people with my condition to be singled out anymore than
My world changing is not loud. My resistance is quiet. I do not yell much…only sometimes usually through tears. My preferred method of processing and making the world better is to write how I feel in my journal first eventually turning it into a blog post. Also, sometimes, I turn how I feel into a
I have done some research to hopefully understand my condition a bit better. There are no CP specialists, so when I want to understand something about my condition research is my first thought due to my academic training. What I found out is fascinating, at least to me, so I thought I would share what
This post is for everybody who feels as if they are on the margins in society. I understand. As an only child by birth, the youngest in my blood extended family by a lot, and some who was born with CP: I get it. I get all of the feelings of being different, wrong, misunderstood,