Category Archives: My journey towards independence

My journey from utter helplessness to independence

Day 2984: Be someone who genuinely and loudly cheers for everyone

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Sometimes kindness is being genuinely happy for people – that’s my message the world

It’s 1: 46 PM on day 2984 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray read a Bible verse, and do some work

Today I was reminded that kindness is not just donating money or giving gifts sometimes kindness is being genuinely happy for someone’s success (we all know that person who’s happy for us but not really – yeah don’t be that person instead be someone who genuinely and loudly cheers for everyone all the time)

Day 2983: Today I Cry

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Even when life’s not going your way be grateful that you still  have life and a chance to get it right– that’s my message to the world

 

It’s 11: 44 AM on day 2983 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray read a Bible verse, and do some work

 

Today I’m river of tears my poor brother keeps asking why I am crying I can’t tell him that I look outside and I’m envious of the birds because they are freer than I’ll ever be, I can’t tell him that although I’m grateful for my healthy body I feel imprisoned in it, I can’t tell him it sucks that people my age are married with kids while I still need help wiping my rear-end, I can’t tell him I’m never alone but I’m always lonely because nobody I know shares my experience or my uncertain future…I can’t tell him any of that so I ignore his question and  continue to cry silently – sometimes I wish I wasn’t so aware OF EVERYTHING it almost seems cruel to make someone so capable of mind and heart and yet so challenged physically.

Day 2982: 12-19 November Goals

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“Oh, come on. It’s Monday, not doomsday.” – Unknown

 

It’s 1: 13 PM on day 2982 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray read a Bible verse  and do some work

Last week I set some goals and today I will again be evaluating myself to measure my progress and I’ll be setting some goals for the coming week as well. Take a look:

5-12 November Goals Review

  1. Continue to be kind, honest and generous (give more, do more and be more) [tried]
  2. Be the best Supersidekick to my Superhero Catherine Constantinides [tried]
  3. Spend time outside as often as I can [I did]
  4. Finish reading Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi [not done yet]
  5. Learn 7+ new things [not done]
  6. Write done 7 beautiful moments of the week [not done often]
  7. Try new things [not done]
  8. Use social media to showcase the ability of differently-abled people and teach that Different IS COOL! [ tried]
  9. Arrange to speak to do a talk in front of kids at a Sunday School nearby before the end of the year – public speaking is the only fear i have besides my family getting sick and dying I want to get over my fear of public speaking before 2018 ends.[Reverend said next year ]

 

Highlights of the Week

  • Watching Superhero Catherine Constantinides’ speech at the World Youth Forum (I’m so thankful for the internet no matter where she is in the world I get to watch everything she does – it was the best 8 minute speech I’ve ever heard (I’m not just saying that because I have deep love for her) it was a fantastic speech about unity, diversity and active citizenship – Superhero made this SuperSidekick SO PROUD. You can watch her speech here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF-4fh9gMbQ&t=12761s )
  • Seeing something that looked like a red butterfly rapidly flapping its wings – it was so special
  • Really noticing and appreciating the Jacaranda Tree and purple flowers
  • Superhero Catherine Constantinides sending me a picture of herself in front of a Mother Teresa Statue with a caption that read Dearest Nisha. This morning as the sun rose I went to the house where Mother Teresa was born. As i walked around this house which is now a monument&museum I thought of your beautiful heart and the way you touch humanity. Thank you for being YOU! – my Superhero just continues to win my heart (by most of the world I feel forgotten most of the time which is why it means SO SO SO MUCH to me to know My Superhero thinks of me no matter where she is in the world. Just WOW –  what an EXTRAORDINARY HUMAN I get to call my Superhero #BLESSEDSoVeryBlessed

 

12-19 November Goals

  1. Continue to be kind, honest and generous (give more, do more and be more)
  2. Be the best Supersidekick to my Superhero Catherine Constantinides
  3. Spend time outside as often as I can and appreciate the little-big things
  4. Finish reading Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
  5. Learn 7+ new things
  6. Write done 7 beautiful moments of the week
  7. Try new things
  8. Use social media to showcase the ability of differently-abled people and teach that Different IS COOL!

Day 2981: Someone Would Gladly Trade Places with You

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Gratitude turns what you have into enough– that’s my message to the world

 

It’s 3: 28 PM on day 2981 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray read a Bible verse, spend time with family, spend time outside  and do some work.

 

Today I just wanted to be like everybody else I didn’t want to be lifted, carried or anything else I just wanted to get through the day the way most people do but since I knew that wasn’t going to happen I shifted my focus to gratitude everything changed when I remembered that Somebody somewhere would trade places with me in a heartbeat even with all my daily challenges

 

Day 2980: Keeping my hope alive

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To be hopeful in a world that seems devoid of hope is the ultimate sign of optimism – that’s what I’ve realized.

 

It’s 2: 40 PM on day 2980 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray read a Bible verse and do some work

 

 

Recently I stumbled across the headline “Bus Driver Rapes Schoolgirl” in that moment I felf like a part of me died but despite it all I’m determined to believe that humanity is more good than bad I refuse to let a few humans ruin my positive view of humanity.

Day 2979: Celebrating #WorldAdoptionDay and Breath of Life

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“Little souls find their way to you, whether they’re from your womb or someone else’s.” – Sheryl Crow

 

It’s 1: 59 PM on day 2979 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray read a Bible verse and do some work

 

Today is World Adoption Day and In honour of all the babies i’ve met at Breath of Life whose lives have or will be affected by adoption I choose to participate in Post your smiley-face hand-selfie #WorldAdoptionDay 9 Nov and celebrate the beauty of adoption. It’s time for the world to reimagine what a family is. A huge shoutout to all at Breath of Life who take care of our babies until their forever families can find them.

Day 2978: Be A Human Being Not A Human Doing

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted– that’s my message to the world

It’s 12: 41 PM on day 2978 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray read a Bible verse, spend time outside – it’s a gorgeous day in my part of the world blessed to be alive to see it –  and do some work

Today as I sat outside listening to the birds and looking at the trees and flowers I felt immense pressure to be doing something even though I was enjoying immensely just being so if only for a few minutes more I resisted the urge to be a human doing and decided it was ok to be a human being it was positively blissful.

Day 2977: Be Obsessed with Helping Others Succeed

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Pick a few people in this life whose values match yours and be absolutely obsessed with helping them make their dreams come true– that’s my message to the world

 

It’s 2: 18 PM on day 2977 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse  and do some work

 

Today I realized that my success would be incomplete if I don’t help others succeed if I get to the end of my life having achieved all that I wanted to while my family, friends, country and community remained in the same place I would feel like I failed and so I work to help others succeed as hard as I work to succeed.If you want to go fast, go alone. “If you want to go far, go together. ” -AFRICAN PROVERB

Day 2975: 5 – 12 November Goals

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“Every Monday is a chance to start a new life, so use it.” – Unknown

It’s 2: 17 PM on day 2975 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray read a Bible verse  and do some work

Last week I set some goals and today I will again be evaluating myself to measure my progress and I’ll be setting some goals for the coming week as well. Take a look:

29 October – 5 November Goals Review

  1. Continue to be kind, honest and generous (give more, do more and be more) [tried]
  2. Be the best Supersidekick to my Superhero Catherine Constantinides [tried]
  3. Spend time outside as often as I can [I did]
  4. Finish reading Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi [not done yet]
  5. Learn 7+ new things [not done]
  6. Write done 7 beautiful moments of the week [not done often]
  7. Try new things [not done]
  8. Use social media to showcase the ability of differently-abled people and teach that Different IS COOL! [ tried]
  9. Arrange to speak to do a talk in front of kids at a Sunday School nearby before the end of the year – public speaking is the only fear i have besides my family getting sick and dying I want to get over my fear of public speaking before 2018 ends.[contacted the Reverend  asking him to give me the Youth Pastor’s contact details still waiting on a response]

 

Highlights of the Week

  • Finding out my sister has been placed back in our city for her internship starting next year (mother and father are delighted – and me too a little bit but don’t tell my sister wouldn’t want her to get a big head or anything)
  • Hearing my Superhero Catherine Constantinides’ very sweet voicenote – there she was on a plane to Egypt for the World Youth Forum and she thought to call me and when I couldn’t be reached she sent a voicenote she continues to teach me that when people truly love you their actions show it I was so profoundly touched by her determination to connect with me and her kindness (I LOVE my Superhero who never quits – I have many doubts in life but I NEVER doubt that God loves, my family loves me and my Superhero loves me she tells me and shows me often). When I grow up may I be half the person she is and a tenth as kind as she is PLEASE God. #HumanGoals
  • All the little big things I was able to do and bring about
  • Listening to Superhero speak at the World Youth Forum in Egypt – I was watching via livestream (where there’s a will there’s a way and for my family and my Superhero I ALWAYS have the will of a thousand people) Superhero made me and our country SUPERPROUD!
  • Getting through Friday’s physiotherapy session which was unusually painful
  • All the times this week I spend outside in nature

 

5- 12 November Goals

  1. Continue to be kind, honest and generous (give more, do more and be more)
  2. Be the best Supersidekick to my Superhero Catherine Constantinides
  3. Spend time outside as often as I can and appreciate the little-big things
  4. Finish reading Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
  5. Learn 7+ new things
  6. Write done 7 beautiful moments of the week
  7. Try new things
  8. Use social media to showcase the ability of differently-abled people and teach that Different IS COOL!

Arrange to speak to do a talk in front of kids at a Sunday School nearby before the end of the year – public speaking is the only fear i have besides my family getting sick and dying I want to get over my fear of public speaking before 2018 ends

Day 2974: National Disability Rights Awareness Month

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“Try not to associate bodily defect with mental, my good friend, except for a solid reason.” -Charles Dickens

 

It’s 11: 25 AM on day 2974 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray read a Bible verse  and do some work

 

Yesterday marked the start of National Disability Rights Awareness Month here in South Africa I truly am grateful for the fact that I live in a country that strives to include differently-abled people in every aspect of life. Thank you to the Government of South Africa for caring about differently-abled people I know in many other countries sadly differently-abled people are not valued as much.