Tag Archives: special needs

Day 1050: Saying a lot with silence

Sometimes your silence can say more than your words ever could – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 11 : 41 AM on day 1050 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, try to clean myself in the bathroom, pray, read Judges 9, feed myself All Bran Flakes for breakfast, publish my Disability of the Day feature, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still working hard to raise the $250 more I need to reach my goal and some people say all I do is eat and go to the bathroom. Ha! – and practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles.

This morning someone said something really hurtful to me and I just sat there silently listening when you know the truth about yourself you don’t feel the need to react to what people say about you. Have there been times in your life when you’ve said a lot without saying anything at all?

Day 1049: Happiness: The destination or the journey?

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Happiness is the journey not the destination – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 2 : 34 PM on day 1049 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, feed myself a boiled egg and All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Judges 8, prepare and publish my Disability of the Day feature, publish my Kid of the Week feature and tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck but I will reach my goal because nothing can take the place of persistence.

This morning I was thinking a lot about what it means to be happy I am not rich or famous but I’m happy most days because I’m living out my life’s purpose which I believe is to make a difference in the world. Are you busy chasing happiness not knowing happiness is the journey not the destination?

Day 1048: Change by Carrie Underwood

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Don’t listen to them when they say

“You’re just a fool, just a fool to believe you can change the world”

Oh, the smallest thing can make all the difference

Love is alive, don’t listen to them when they say

“You’re just a fool, just a fool to believe you can change the world”

– Carrie Underwood

It’s 12 : 24 PM on day 1048 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, try to clean myself in the bathroom, pray, read Judges 7, publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself a boiled egg and All Bran Flakes for breakfast and tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck but something’s bound to happen I’m doing my part and I know God’s doing his part even though I can’t see it people have to care that that there are more than 30 million people enslaved in the world today they just have to otherwise where’s the human in humanity.

Yesterday I heard Change by Carrie Underwood and I just fell in love with it it’s a song for anybody who has ever been told that they can’t change the world. Listen to Change by Carrie Underwood below:

Day 1047: MIND-BLOWING shadow theatre group, Attraction

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“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” ― Edgar Degas

It’s 12 : 09 PM on day 1047 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, feed myself a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast, read Judges 6, publish my Disability of the Day feature, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck I’ll tell the people at my physiotherapist’s office about my campaign if I get the chance to when I go there this afternoon my parents are not going to be very happy with me if I do end up asking for donations they’re very supportive of everything I do just as long as I don’t ruin their reputation in the process frankly I don’t care what people think I’m here to make a difference in the world and so help me God that’s exactly what I will do even if it means my parents are displeased with me from time to time – take off my dirty jacket and t-shirt and put a clean t-shirt on, stretch my hamstrings, practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles and spend some time outside.

Three days ago I come across Attraction – a shadow theatre group – what they can do with their bodies will blow your mind and touch your heart at the same time. Watch my favourite Attraction performance below:

Day 1046: My thoughts on the potential Down Syndrome cure

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Differently abled people need acceptance not a cure – that’s what I wish the world would understand 🙂

It’s 1 : 00 PM on day 1046 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, feed myself All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Judges 5, publish my Disability of the Day feature, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – no one donated so far today either but I will reach my goal because I won’t quit that’s one of the things I love about myself whether it’s changing my t-shirt or raising money to end human trafficking I won’t stop doing something until I get it done I put the Energizer bunny to shame LOL 🙂 – take off my dirty jacket and t-shirt and put a clean t-shirt on, stretch my hamstrings, practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles and spend some time outside – sitting outside looking at the blue sky I couldn’t help feeling sorry for people who get to the end of their lives thinking I wish I spent more time enjoying the sunshine because when all is said and done you won’t remember all the hours you spent at the office you’ll remember all of your moments in the sun.

A few days ago I read If my child could wake up without special needs – a blog post on Love That Max reacting to the news that scientists might one day be able to “cure” Down Syndrome through gene therapy – I, like Ellen, don’t think differently abled people need to be “cured” it’s not like Cerebral Palsy or Autism or Down Syndrome are terminal illnesses I think people should spend less time trying to “cure” us and more time educating themselves about the conditions they’re trying to “cure” us of. When you meet a differently abled person do you try to fix whatever’s “wrong” with them how ever you can or accept them just as they are?

Day 1045: Jon Bon Jovi’s Soul Kitchen

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“Given the opportunity to make a difference we all can.” – Jon Bon Jovi

It’s 12 : 56 PM on day 1045 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, feed myself All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Judges 4, publish my Disability of the Day feature, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – no one donated so far today either – practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles, spend some time outside – looking at the sky I promised God that I would complete my mission in life which I’ve since figured out is to use all my talents and resources to make this world a better place there are a lot of people who are no longer with us who would give anything to be alive to make this world a better place it would be a sin for me not to wake up every day and try to make this world a better place – stretch my hamstrings and get my hair washed – thanks to sisi Nikiwe for washing my hair for me I know that one day I won’t need so much help but for now I do need help and I appreciate that there are people to help me.

A couple of months ago I heard about The Soul Kitchen – a community restaurant funded by the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation where those who can pay for their meal and those who can’t volunteer at the restaurant as payment for their meal – but I didn’t have a chance to really check it out until yesterday I just love the whole idea of everybody earning their meal either by paying for it or by working for it. Watch the video below to learn more about The Soul Kitchen:

Day 1044: Choosing to be better not bitter

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What happens to you can either make you bitter or better– that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 12 : 19 PM on day 1044 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Judges 3, feed myself All Bran Flakes for breakfast, publish my Disability of the Day feature,practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles, take off my dirty jacket and t-shirt and put a clean t-shirt on, tweet and Facebook about my campaign -no luck – stretch my hamstrings, spend some time outside – sitting outside surrounded by nature I was grateful to be alive sure living with Cerebral Palsy is not the easiest thing in the world but at least I’m alive to make a difference in the world and enjoy beautiful blue sky days I know a lot of people would trade places with me even with my medical issues – and promote my campaign some more – still no luck I’m not going to give up I’m doing this to help people who have had their free will taken away from them.

Yesterday something happened to me (I won’t mention what because I don’t want to use this blog as a weapon to hurt people) that changed the way I saw people forever I will always remember what was done to me and try not to do the same to someone else the things that happen to you can either make you bitter or better and I choose to be better. Are you bitter or better because of the things that have happened to you?

Day 1043: Nothing we’re going through lasts forever

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Nothing we’re going through lasts forever– that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 1 : 39 PM on day 1043 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, try to clean myself in the bathroom, brush my teeth, feed myself boiled All Bran Flakes for breakfast, publish my Disability of the Day feature, read Judges 1 and Judges 2, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – no one donated so far today – practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles and stretch my hamstrings.

This morning thinking back to the horrible weekend I just had I realized once again that nothing we’re going through lasts forever when we’re going through something we get so caught up in it that we don’t realize in that moment that whatever we’re going through will be over by tomorrow or the next day. When you’re going through a hard time do you remind yourself that nothing lasts forever?

Day 1042: Showing up for God

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There are some places you got to go to whether you feel like it or not – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 2 : 36 PM on day 1042 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, feed myself All Bran Flakes for breakfast, go to church, go visit people, publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself sweet potatoes and yoghurt for lunch and publish my Kid of the Week feature.

This morning my mom insisted that we go to church so I went reluctantly even though I wasn’t feeling my best at all and I am glad I did because I feel like the sermon was meant for it was titled Growing in Christ the reverend talked about how we should show Christ our love by staying connected to him he said and I’m paraphrasing there are three way to stay connected to Christ 1. Go to church regularly whether you feel like it or not, 2. Spend time with Jesus outside of the church and 3. Connect with other Christians what he said really struck a chord with me God does so much for us every day of our lives the least we can do is show up every week on Sunday even if we don’t feel like it. Are there some places you go whether you feel like it or not?

Day 1041: The media’s portrayal of the differently abled

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Stories told of differently abled people either have undertones of awe or pity – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 2 : 13 PM on day 1041 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, feed myself boiled egg and oats for breakfast, read Joshua 24, publish my Disability of the Day feature and tweet and Facebook about my campaign -I have not been able to spend much time promoting the campaign today I feel just awful people think Cerebral Palsy just affects movement it doesn’t it affects the digestive system, circulation… virtually the whole body sometimes I feel like I’m eighty it sucks.

Yesterday I noticed stories told of differently abled people either have undertones of awe or pity every article I read about a differently abled person is either about how inspirational they are or about how people are being kind enough to do things for them hopefully someday a differently abled person being in an ad or participating in a marathon will be the norm and not something that is headline worthy, Do you agree with me that stories told of differently abled people either have undertones of awe or pity?