Tag Archives: disability

Day 1811: My fight to the death

I’ll always have to fight to be seen as a human being with something to contribute – that’s what I realized yesterday.

It’s 1 : 00 PM on day 1811 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Luke 1, publish my Disability of the Day feature, publish my Kid of the Week feature, have breakfast, learn one new thing –The longest mountain range in the world is under water. Called the Mid-Oceanic Ridge, this chain of mountains runs through the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and into the Indian and Pacific oceans. It runs more than 35,000 miles long, has peaks higher than those in the Alps and it comprises 23 percent of the Earth’s total surface. – and promote my Educate Generations campaign – $4 656 raised so far (thanks so much for the support everyone ).

Yesterday something happened that made me realize I’ll always have to fight to be seen as a human being with something to contribute before yesterday when someone said something unintentionally hurtful or ignorant I assumed that only individual mindsets needed to be changed but something about what happened yesterday left me slightly crushed and made me understand that for perceptions of differently-abled people to change I had to play a part in changing the societal mindset… it’s going to be a hell of a fight but it’s a fight that I dedicate my whole life to winning.

Day 1810: Living for Friday

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“When I wake up each morning, I praise the Lord for the gift of being alive.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita

It’s 10 : 21 AM on day 1810 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, read Mark 16, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing – Transitory [tran·si·to·ry] adj. 1. Not lasting, enduring, permanent, or eternal. 2.Lasting only a short time; brief; short-lived; temporary. “It was a transitory stage in the actor’s career.” – promote my Educate Generations campaign – $4 656 raised so far (so grateful 🙂 ) – and have breakfast.

Recently I’ve become acutely aware of the living-for-Friday phenomenon the whole world is living for Friday every day most people can’t wait for Friday I wish people would ask themselves what’s so wrong with my life that I want to escape into the weekend because really we should be grateful for every day that we are alive instead of always living for Friday.

Day 1809: Touch a heart

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It doesn’t take a lot to touch a heart because people just want to know you care – that’s what I realized yesterday.

It’s 12 : 35 PM on day 1809 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Mark 15, publish my Disability of the Day feature, have breakfast, make sandwiches for Cynthia’s ( our housekeeper’s) neighborhood with mom’s help as part of Virginia’s Sandwich Run – (thank you mommy for all your help today today) – learn one new thing – Leopards tend to have two or three cubs per gestation. Mothers refrain from wandering their territories after giving birth until their young are capable to come with them. Cubs suckle for around 3 months and are kept hidden for about the first 8 weeks to protect them from predators. – and promote my Educate Generations campaign – yesterday Laurieann Janssens donated $25 and David Boutin donated $10 (thanks so much Laurieann and David your support means a lot to me 🙂 which bring my total raised to $4 656 I’m working hard to get to $4 703 before the end of August.

Yesterday I realized that it doesn’t take a lot to touch a heart because people just want to know you care so touch a heart today by showing someone you care.

Day 1807: Living your eulogy

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“Have you notices that when we die, our eulogies celebrate our lives very differently from the way society defines success?” ― Arianna Huffington, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder

It’s 12 : 00 PM on day 1807 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Mark 13, publish my Disability of the Day feature, have breakfast, learn one new thing –Bloviate [blo·vi·ate] i.v. To speak or write at length in a pompous or boastful manner.– and promote my Educate Generations campaign – $4 601 raised so far.

Yesterday evening I realized that if my life were to end in that very moment I would be sincerely proud of the way I lived and who I was as a person I am more or less the person I would want to be remembered as when I’m dead which is one of the things I’m most proud of.

Day 1806: Luister (and why I’m choosing to share it)

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A true patriot is one who shines a light on all that is wrong in their country so that the country may be better in the future – that’s what I have realized.

It’s 12 : 38 PM on day 1806 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Mark 12, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing –They eat each other.“They’re looking for fresh food and what’s around, and if that happens to be another lobster, then it’s dinner,” says Bayer. “One of the reasons lobster culture is not profitable is because they are cannibalistic, and there are lot of expenses that go along with that.”– have breakfast and promote my Educate Generations campaign – $4 601 raised so far (thanks so much everyone ).

Yesterday I watched Luister – a documentary about the lives of students of colour in Stellenbosch University, a South African institution of higher learning – I am choosing to share this documentary on my platform not because I want to embarrass South Africa but because I want South Africa to be better in the future (I love love love you South Africa). Watch Luister below:

Day 1805: Enemies, Life and Having an Impact

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“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” – Winston Churchill

It’s 12 : 15 PM on day 1805 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Mark 11, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing – A dune is a mound of sand formed by the wind, usually along the beach or in a desert. Dunes form when wind blows sand into a sheltered area behind an obstacle. Dunes grow as grains of sand accumulate.– have breakfast and promote my Educate Generations campaign – $4 601 raised so far (so grateful to everyone 🙂 )

This morning it dawned on me that I must be so annoying to some people (when I believe in something it’s all I live, eat and breath) but I will not stop doing what I feel is right my job in life is not to be liked by all it’s to leave this world a little better than it was when I got here.

Day 1804: A Mother’s Sorrow

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A child will never know a mother’s sorrow – that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 1 : 30 PM on day 1804 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Mark 10, publish my Disability of the Day feature, publish my Kid of the Week feature, have breakfast, learn one new thing –Peppers are actually fruits. Why? Simply because they are produced from a flowering plant and contain seeds, though, most people think of them as vegetables. – and promote my Educate Generations campaign – $4 601 raised so far (thanks so much for the support everyone ).

Last night my mom and I were talking about how all the people my age were getting married and I saw sorrow in her eyes that said damn it that should be you too when I was younger the differences between my life and the lives of my friends weren’t that noticeable now it’s glaringly obvious my friends are on their own and walking down the aisle while I’m 24 and still living with my parents I tried to inject a bit of humour into the conversation by saying something like don’t hate let’s be happy for them but I can’t say I would feel any different if I were in her shoes it must hurt like hell to feel like your daughter is being left behind (it’s not true, of course, I have my own path in life but that’s probably the way she feels) (mom I know that my life isn’t turning out the way you probably thought it would but I know that God gave me Cerebral Palsy so that people could see Him in the things I do and in me so please try not to feel sorrowful for me I was meant to live an extraordinary life).

Day 1803: The Work That Goes Into Success

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“When people say they’d like to be in your shoes, it’s usually after the difficult journey is finished.” – Tim Fargo

It’s 12 : 44 PM on day 1803 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Mark 9, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing – Ignominious [ig·no·min·i·ous] adj. Deserving or causing public disgrace or shame; humiliating: “An ignominious defeat.” – have breakfast and promote my Educate Generations campaign – $4 601 raised so far (thanks everyone ).

Yesterday I was listening to an interesting panel discussion about gender equality on the radio and I heard Ramona Kasavan (one of the panellists on the show) say entrepreneurship is not as sexy as people make it seem on social media I think that’s true for philanthropy as well people always say I want to change the world but most don’t know how much planning and work actually goes into it until recently I was my own goal setter, graphic designer and marketing person thankfully now my friend, Pamela Eapen, helps me out with graphic design whenever I need help (thanks Pam I love you lots dude).

Day 1802: “Invincible” by Kelly Clarkson

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Beat down on me, beat down like a waterfall

Cause I can take on so much more than I had ever dreamed

So beat down on me, beat down like a waterfall

‘Cause baby, I am ready to be free

Now I am invincible

No, I ain’t a scared little girl no more

Yeah, I am invincible

What was I running for

I was hiding from the world

I was so afraid, I felt so unsure

Now I am invincible

And I’m a perfect storm

Now I am a warrior, a shooting star

You know I got this far, I had a broken heart

No one hears silent tears collecting

‘Cause it’s being weak that’s strong

In the truth I found

I have courage now, I’m gonna shout it out

Teacher, I feel the dots connecting

– Kelly Clarkson, “Invincible”

It’s 1 : 24 PM on day 1802 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Mark 8, publish my Disability of the Day feature, have breakfast, learn one new thing –A human foot & ankle is a strong, mechanical structure that contain 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons & ligaments.-make sandwiches for Cynthia’s ( our housekeeper’s) neighborhood with Cynthia’s help as part of Virginia’s Sandwich Run – (thank you sisi Cynthia for all your help) – and promote my Educate Generations campaign – $4 601 raised so far (so grateful a HUGE thanks to everyone who has helped out so far ).

Recently I heard “Invincible” by Kelly Clarkson I was so inspired by it that I feel compelled to share it. Enjoy!

Day 1799: The Weight of Expectation

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You can either rise to the weight of expectation or let it crush you – that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 1 : 31 PM on day 1799 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Mark 4, publish my Disability of the Day feature, learn one new thing – It’s true. Nine lemur species are named sifakas because shif-auk is the distress call they make when in danger.– have breakfast and promote my Educate Generations campaign – Justine Perry donated $25 yesterday and Simon Magid donated $25 today (thanks SO MUCH again Justine and Simon 🙂 ) which brings my total raised to $4 591 (so grateful to God and everyone who is helping out).

Today I noticed two young women talking about me on social media saying @MalAdapting check out @Nisha360.Mallu girl from [my town].. Pretty cool what she does I was (and still am) so touched by their words but with those words came the weight of expectation when you have more than a few people saying how much they like what you do and admire you it becomes real you start to think they’re not just being nice they really look up to me and with that thought comes the pressure not to let God or anybody else down… I suppose having the weight of expectation on me is better than the alternative of doing nothing, saying nothing and being nothing.