Tag Archives: special needs

Day 1030: Lesson learned from An Invisible Thread

Maybe just maybe we are who we are because of the things we’ve been through not in spite of it– that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 1 : 50 PM on day 1030 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to publish my Disability of the Day feature, pray, sleep – my brother, sister and I stayed up the whole night watching Madea’s Witness Protection I liked it, it was hilarious – stretch my hamstrings, try to clean myself in the bathroom, brush my teeth, feed myself All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Joshua 13, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck it’s enough to depress a person I’ve asked almost all the people I can think of if they could make a contribution most of them flat out ignored me how can people not care that 30 million people are enslaved today could we really be that apathetic – and spend time outside – I LOVE spending time outside it gives me such peace it doesn’t hurt that our garden is absolutely beautiful with lots of trees and flowers my mom spends a lot of time tending to her roses and it really shows our yard is one of my favorite places in the whole world 🙂

Last night after I finished reading An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-Year-Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting… by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski – a heart-warming book about the friendship between two people from two different worlds – it dawned on me that maybe just maybe we are who we are because of the things we’ve been through not in spite of it because Laura (the busy sales executive) grew up in a very volatile household she saw herself in Maurice (the eleven-year-old panhandler whose whole family was hooked on drugs) and was moved to help. Do you believe you are who you are because of what you’ve been through not in spite of it?

Day 1029: Faith, what is it exactly?

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Faith is believing in that which you cannot see or understand – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 2 : 19 PM on day 1029 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, stretch my hamstrings, try to clean myself in the bathroom – I still can’t do it by myself properly but I’m getting there 🙂 – brush my teeth, feed myself a boiled egg and All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Joshua 12, publish my Disability of the Day feature, practice typing with both hands, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck – and play outside with my brother – kids can be brutally honest when I got outside my brother was playing Cricket by himself so I said come, I’ll throw to which he said matter-of-factly you can’t throw properly he didn’t mean it in a mean way he was just being honest as only kids can be but his words stung because I’m acutely aware that I can’t play with him like my sister plays with him it’s moments like that that I wish I inhabited a typical body oh well I guess we don’t always get what we wish for 🙁

The morning I was thinking about all the stories of miracles told in The Bible the fall of the wall of Jericho, water pouring out of a stone and others and although I believed that God did perform those miracles I couldn’t understand how it defied science but then I thought of my own life God is using someone that the world considers broken to give people water and to feed people and and and I still don’t know how He’s doing most of the things He’s doing through me all I know is that He is doing it I guess that’s what faith is believing in that which you cannot see or understand. Do you have faith?

Day 1028: My definition of success

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Success is following your dreams– that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 1 : 25 PM on day 1028 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, take off my dirty hoodie and t-shirt and put on a clean -t-shirt – our new weekend housekeeper cracks me up she looks at me after I changed my clothes with great difficulty and says rather matter-of-factly you make things difficult for yourself she’s right it would be easier for me to ask someone to change my clothes for me but I decided a long time ago that I would rather have a hard, independent life than an easy, dependent life – feed myself a boiled egg and All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Joshua 11, publish my Disability of the Day feature, publish my Kid of the Week feature, play catch outside with my brother – while playing catch my brother says let’s take a break to which I say no, I want to play and he says look [at the scenery] with your heart and not your eyes I was blown away keep in mind the kid is only 12 🙂 – tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck -and practice typing with both hands.

Yesterday afternoon I was thinking about success and what it means to be successful in my community success is growing up, going to school, going to university, getting a well-paying job, getting married to a suitable guy, having a couple of kids and living happily ever after success for me is getting up every day and trying to make a difference and by that definition I’m extremely successful. Have you created your own definition of success and are you successful according to that definition?

Day 1027: Women, Girls and the need for Self-respect

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We need to teach women and girls self-respect–that’s what I keep learning

It’s 2 : 07 PM on day 1027 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, stretch my hamstrings, brush my teeth, feed myself All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Joshua 10, publish my Disability of the Day feature, practice typing with both hands, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck – and start reading An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-Year-Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting… by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski – I’m only a few pages in but I already love the book it’s all about how one person can make a difference in the life of another which as you know I wholeheartedly believe 🙂

Two days ago I was on Twitter and I came across this tweet Wet tata’s courtesy of sprinklers with a picture of this woman’s boobs attached I was taken aback by her apparent lack of self-respect whatever happened to modesty and respect for one’s body we need to teach girls and women that they have more to offer the world than their bodies. Are you a person you can be proud of today because people taught you self-respect back in the day?

Day 1026: 11 Facts about Modern-Day Slavery

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The only way to create change is to face the problems of the world – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 1 : 27 PM on day 1026 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to publish my Disability of the Day feature, sleep – my brother wanted to stay up and watch Masterchef so I stayed with him we only went to sleep after midnight – pray, stretch my hamstrings, brush my teeth, feed myself boiled egg and All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Joshua 9, listen to music, practice typing with both hands and tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck.

Today I am going to do something different and share with you some facts about slavery in the hopes that after reading it you will be moved to do something about it. Take a look:

11 Facts about Modern-Day Slavery

More than 30 million people live in slavery today.
The modern-day slave trade is a $32 billion-dollar-a-year business and one of the fastest growing industries
The United Nations estimates that currently more than 150 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 have been forced into child labour.
Slaves are forced to work without pay, under the threat of violence, and unable to walk away.
Slaves work in fields, brothels, homes, and practically any other place you can imagine.
The majority of slaves can be found in Africa and Asia.
There are more human slaves in the world today than ever before in history.
Some human traffickers recruit handicapped young girls, such as those suffering from Down Syndrome, into the sex industry.
UNICEF estimates that 300,000 children younger than 18 are currently trafficked to serve in armed conflicts worldwide.
Slavery is not legal anywhere but it happens everywhere.
The cost of the average slave? $90

Have you read enough? Are you ready to re-abolish slavery? If so, donate to my anti-slavery campaign the proceeds go to the Not For Sale Campaign, an organization that aims to create a world where no one is for sale.

Day 1025: My Dream

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“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

It’s 12 : 14 PM on day 1025 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to sleep – for some reason my brother and his friend didn’t want to sleep so I had to stay up with them past midnight the things we do for the people we love 🙂 – pray, stretch my hamstrings, try to clean myself in the bathroom – I can’t do it to completely on my own just yet but every day that I try is one day closer to reaching my goal 🙂 – brush my teeth, feed myself boiled egg and All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Joshua 8, publish my Disability of the Day feature, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck – and practice typing with both hands.

Last night laying in bed remembering Martin Luther King Jr’s I Have A Dream speech I thought about my dream I have a dream that one day people will be judged by their abilities rather than their “disabilities” right now people look at someone who is different and see what they cannot do it is my hope that one day people will look at someone who is different and see what they can do. What is your dream?

Day 1024: Teen with cerebral palsy sails the Channel solo [video]

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“The reality is that I, you, and everyone else on the spectrum need to help the world understand that having challenges – even extreme ones – does not mean a person does not have abilities and contributions to make to the world. Ability isn’t a binary thing. Unfortunately, many people who have limited experience with disabilities tend to act like it is, so when challenges are emphasized, lack of ability is assumed.” – Lynne Soraya

It’s 1 : 10 PM on day 1024 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to publish my Disability of the Day feature, pray, sleep – I stayed up past midnight reading – stretch my hamstrings, brush my teeth, take off my dirty t-shirt and turtleneck and put a clean t-shirt and hoodie on, feed myself All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Joshua 7, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – no luck today but my friend and speaker Ramon Thomas who gives talks to parents about online safety donated $33 yesterday (thanks Ramon you’re awesome) now I only need $450 more in 104 days to reach my goal – spend time outside playing catch with my brother (he threw and I caught) – I caught the ball three times I’m so proud of myself (having Cerebral Palsy makes things like catching really difficult for me) – and practice typing with both hands.

Yesterday reading Teen with cerebral palsy sails the Channel solo – an article about Natasha Lambert, who was born with atheroid cerebral palsy, which affects her limbs as well as her speech, conquering the English Channel in a small sailing boat – I felt a twinge of pride people like her prove that although people with “disabilities” have a lot of challenges they have a lot of abilities. Watch Natasha reaching her destination below:

Day 1023: Never quitting on what you believe in

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If you believe in what you’re doing you won’t quit even when you want to – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 1 : 47 PM on day 1023 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to stretch my hamstrings, brush my teeth, feed myself All Ban Flakes and a baked egg for breakfast, try to clean myself in the bathroom – I can’t do it completely independently yet but I’m getting there it’s really important to me that I be able to take care of myself so that I can survive even if nobody else is around I know my family will always be there for me and I really appreciate that but I don’t want to be a burden on anyone I want to travel the world and make a difference – read Joshua 6, publish my Disability of the Day feature, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck – watch cooing demonstrations on YouTube – I love food and I spend quite a bit of time researching healthy recipes because I don’t move much I’m really careful about what i put into my body my family thinks i’m nuts for eating so healthy but the way I look at it if it’s not difficult to live healthily why not do it – and practice typing with both hands.

Last night while tweeting and Facebooking about my campaign I wanted to quit so badly but I couldn’t because I believed so much in what I was doing. Has there ever been a time when you didn’t quit simply because you believed in what you were doing?

Day 1022: DJ Fresh & Mindtunes: A track created only by the mind

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“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” ― Napoleon Hill

It’s 2 : 04 PM on day 1022 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to stretch my hamstrings, brush my teeth, feed myself All Ban Flakes for breakfast, read Joshua 5, publish my Disability of the Day feature and tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck I have half a mind to donate the $483 I need to reach my goal myself but then I would be almost broke I pride myself on being generous and compassionate but I also pride myself on being responsible with the resources that God has given me so I guess I’ll just keep asking for donations who knows maybe it’s better this way because this way I will be giving people the opportunity to feel how I feel when I give with my whole heart – it gives you such a natural high and fills your soul there’s nothing quite like it 🙂

A couple of weeks ago I stumbled on to DJ Fresh & Mindtunes: A track created only by the mind – a documentary about three music fans who happen to be in wheelchairs literally making music with their minds – I didn’t have time to watch the full documentary at the time but last night I went back and watched it and I’m telling you it is the most amazing thing I’ve seen in a while. Watch DJ Fresh & Mindtunes: A track created only by the mind below:

Day 1021: Cerebral Palsy Sufferer? I Think Not

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The words we use to describe people are so important– that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 2 : 10 PM on day 1021 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, feed myself a boiled egg and oats for breakfast, read Joshua 4, publish my Disability of the Day feature, and tweet and Facebook about my campaign – still no luck.

Yesterday I searched Cerebral Palsy on Google under the News tab and this headline popped up Cerebral palsy sufferer Ben Tickner helped thanks to local appeal I HATE the word sufferer being used to describe someone who has Cerebral Palsy the challenges people with Cerebral Palsy face are different from those faced by the majority of the population but that doesn’t mean we’re unhappy or suffering in any way I don’t lay in bed every day and think woe is me I have Cerebral Palsy I get up every day grateful to be alive and ready to make a difference. Do you use words of pity when describing certain groups of people?