You are SUCH an inspiration.

You are SUCH an inspiration. How many time have we as disabled people heard that? How does it make you feel?

For me, I get it, but I don’t. I understand that people look at people with disabilities and think, "Wow, that’s great that he or she can do that." Personally, I don’t see myself as an inspiration. I am just living my life just like everyone else, I’m just doing them in a different way. Yes, I have to do them somewhat differently than you, but I can still do them. You can drive. So can I. I drive with hand controls because my legs don’t work like yours, but I can still drive. If it turns out I can’t drive, I find an alternative. You can run in races. I may not be able to run, but I can take part in a wheelchair or a hand bike. You can cook a meal for your family. So can I. Again, I might need things in the kitchen modified such as countertops, or the stove or refrigerator lowered to where I can reach it better, but I can still do it! I don’t think of it as inspiring, I just think of it as life.

My independence as a person with a disability, is very important to me and I will do everything within my power to achieve and maintain that independence. As I said in previous posts, I have always been encouraged to do things on my own. Some people look at it as inspirational. I look at it as my life, and I just do it.

If there was something that I couldn't do or didn’t know how to do, I asked someone to either let me try it or at least show me how to do it. If I could do it the "proper" way, or in a modified way, great! If not, I moved on. Most of the time however, for the things that were important to me, I found a way to do them.

I look at it this way. If I can motivate someone to at least attempt things that they wouldn’t normally attempt to do or to at least try, then I have succeeded. I would rather someone tell me I motivated them more than I inspired them. What are your thoughts?