The Secret Ingredient

I got the time wrong. When Tuesday at 4 came and went without a call,I thought the reporter doing the 'small town boy hits it big' article decided to seek out someone who's fame is a bit more sparkly than mine. I was almost relieved because, as I said in an earlier post, what's to say? So when I answered the phone this afternoon, I was startled to be talking to a reporter who had written down a different day that I remembered. So be it, we talked.

It's odd being interviewed about yourself and your accomplishments but I found that I was giving her not only my history but also a history of the civil liberties movement embraced under the concept of 'community living'. From early days in institutions to beginning work in sexuality of disability. From first book to thirtieth book. From lecturing locally to keynoting internationally. It was all really about how far we have come in understanding disability and conceptualizing the word 'all'.

I flashed on seeing Phyllis yesterday at the rights session for people with disabilities. I met her first in an instititution, last in the community. First captive, now free. How cool is that? I flashed on agencies that once forbad dating who now host weddings. I flashed on the moments of courage I've needed, the moments where I needed to practice understanding while feeling anger, the moments where I seemed to stand alone while shit rained down on me.

She dutifully asked questions and seemed caught up in the spirit of the interview. When I was done I hung up and looked over at Joe. He said, 'No wonder we're always tired, we've been really, really busy over the last few years.'

And we have ... but we've kept on going because, and only because, we've always had a ready access of ...