Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Explorations

I've had an interesting couple of days. I'm working at putting together the Disability Carnival which will appear this Sunday. So many of you have sent me posts to include, posts which I have been reading and making notes about. I am learning a lot about disability and a lot about the readers of this blog. It's a cool thing collaboration.

The thing that troubled me was doing what I asked others to do, I asked for people to choose the blog they had written that they are the most proud of, not the one that got the most notice but the one that they felt they expressed something important about the disability experience. I wasn't sure which post to include so I went back to review some early blog posts.

My.

That's quite a journey. When I started this blog I was new into the identity of being a person with a disability. I found reading some posts, now, from the perspective of three years in a chair - informing. Of course I should have expected some growth in insight and maturity. I didn't expect to be reminded so much about the journey, I didn't expect to have such clear snapshots of the process.

It reminds me that all of us grow into our lives and into our bodies. No wonder those who are newly disabled are so captive-ated by the experience of a wheelchair, a walker, difficult speech or an unsteady gait. No wonder, they are taking 'baby steps' into a new identity. Babies cry because the world is a big and frightening place to contemplate. Babies cry because they have needs - that used to be fulfilled without muss or fuss - that they don't know how to communicate. Babies cry because they are growing into the way that they will be and growth is hard. So too it is with growing into a new identity. Old needs, new methods. Old world, new pathways. Old dreams, new visions. It's tough.

I imagine that, two years from now I will look back at the posts I have written and will write this year and go ...

My.

My. Oh. My.

But that's OK. I'm allowed to grow. So are you. I'm allowed to learn how to more comfortably be me. I'm allowed to discover that Dave-land is a vast place with several rides I have not purchased tickets for, several torchless dark corners to turn, several pop quizzes to take but no classes to learn. You-land is much the same with different rides, different corners, different quizzes. But the same end.

Growth.

My.

That's cool.

6 comments:

  1. I always read your blog but rarely leave comments. I remember commenting on this close to the start of your disability journey. Reading about your experiences as you've become a disabled person, through all the anger, fear and occasional bitterness we all naturally experience to this proud, positive wheelchair user you are today has really helped me put my own disability journey into perspective. Thanks Dave...I'm really looking forward to sharing your unique view on the world from a place of acceptance and understanding.
    BendyGirl Xx

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  2. I know that I sent you a post,(for the carnival) but I can't remember what I sent.... The following is also very good:
    http://beneaththewings.blogspot.com/2009/04/parenting-child-with-down-syndrome-or.html

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  3. Sorry I'm late, but I want to submit a post! This was my BADD post for 2010, although my BADD 2009 post was also very good.

    http://candidlycrippled.blogspot.com/2010/05/harry-potter-and-disability.html

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  4. Dave have just heard of an earthquake affecting Toronto, hope you and Joe are okay

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  5. Spaz Girl, you are in but I can't accept any more. I've got well over 20 submissions and am working hard to read them all and put together the carnival. So you are the last person in.

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  6. I think that is one of the coolest parts about reading old posts...the memories that come back.

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