A Differently-Abled Post

Today I could receive lots of roses and gifts…Ukraine as well as many countries honours people with disabilities today. Since I somehow belong to this lucky group of people I could also drink a glass of champagne or throw a party…But I did none of these things listed above. Not today, at least. I’d better postpone this happy celebration of my disability to Christmas Day. :) You can join me then, if you like! :) :) :) Don't forget to bring your bottle of  wine then, please!

The funny thing is till the age of eight I did not really realize my difference. Well, I did but not the way I do now. Some people “helped” me to realize that I could never suit their world. I am just different. And their world does not need such different freaks like me. Haha…I used to get very upset about this fact. I prayed God about healing me. About giving me the body everyone has. Now I am not. I am not asking God to make me a perfect model, a la Julia Roberts!  I am not even angry with these people who did not want to accept my differences. Sure, it still makes me sad when I hear from some people such things like “Well, you’re so brave, in your situation I’d be depressed…etc”  or “Well, you’re so closed from the world, you should not isolate yourself from the other normal people”… It is strange but many people think I  must be different… Sure, I am different. I am. Thousand times I am…. Like everyone on this ship we call planet. I don’t ignore the fact that I am disabled in some ways. 

I don’t want to prove that I am the same like any other healthy girl. I  do have the same feelings, smiles and tears. I don’t want to say that I am always all-smiles and I don’t care about my challenges. I am sometimes angry with myself. I am sometimes truly happy. I am me. I am Daria. I cannot run the way some “normal” people do. I cannot dance. There are some things that are simple for you but extremely difficult for me.

I am grateful to God for making me like this. I am not hypocrite here.  Believe me, please. I am not so great. I am often weak. If you ask me, I’d be the happiest to enjoy a full-functional body. But I was born with a different body. And I have no choice. I should make the best of what I have instead of wasting my precious time for wishing what I don’t have and might never have.

  I am different in many ways of physical abilities. But today I was thinking about how many things I am actually able to do. I can independently do 99% of things around. I almost never need any assistance with dressing or washing. I can work many hours. I can even travel. And believe me – when I am happy, there is no real difference between me and any other Homo Sapiens.

My blog purpose has really nothing to do with my dis-ability. I am not speaking about my limits I am aware of.  Now I am even happy to have my limits. Guess why? My limits teach me to be patient and understand people more. And if I am lucky to overcome some of my limits – my joy is even greater! I am happy to share my joys with you. I do not intend to inspire you. I do not want to be your example of someone special. I just want to be your friend. I am happy to be your shoulder you can cry on when you’re hurt. I am happy to see your happiness. I am happy to realize that you treat me the way I want to be treated. 

If I could I’d really change the world “disabled” into “differently-abled”. We’re all, in fact, disabled in some ways. We’re not all singers or dancers or artists. We’re all different. And this difference is what makes us all unique.