Carnation

Yesterday was Morp. Thank you so much Jackson that was great! And to everyone else in my group or who I saw at the dance. I had so much fun.

However, actual school yesterday was not so much fun. I have had two rotten school days in a row! How could that happen?! Seriously, I've got to learn from my mistakes, not make them and move on. It's really getting annoying.

Anyways, so after rehearsal, we go to pick up my sister from the gym and I must mention I am in a TERRIBLE mood. I am sick and I have a headache. boo. So I am being a typical teenage girl, not talking in the front seat with my arms folded, when a truck pulls into a handicap space in front of us. I don't notice it until something starts coming out of the trunk of the truck. This machine is extending from the back of it and it's so fascinating I forget to breathe. Finally when I catch my breath I look back to see it has ejected (slowly) up into the sky and come down the left side of the truck (the drivers side) and it has a wheelchair attached to it. There is no sign of movement in the truck for at least 10 minutes but finally the door opens. In it, is a young man of about 25 and his seat is rotating out of his car. So now his seat is going forward but not towards the steering wheel but towards the door (because it rotated). His seat then comes down to the ground and he sits there for a while. Soon enough he starts trying to transfer chairs.

I hated this part.

I felt so helpless and I just wanted somone to help him. There had to be some kind person around. People were walking right past him as they were coming in and out of the gym! And then the thought came to me, Maybe I am the one meant to help him. You know how you can think a billion thoughts in one second? Well that's what I did and I was thinking things like, I am not strong enough, Wouldn't it be awkward, What if he doesn't want my help, Would he be offended if I asked, Am I being rude simply by looking?
Before I could think any more, two men go up to him and ask if he needs help. "Sure!" is his reply. One of them who is very muscly, (we are in front of a gym after all) scoops him up and loads him into the wheel chair. They leave with 'thank yous' and the man goes in and the young man in the wheel chair continues to work on getting everything situated. My sister came out after that and I didn't get to see what ended up happening.

But I can't tell you how grateful I am for that stranger who helped another stranger. You see, I don't think the man in the wheel chair had been in the wheel chair for a very long time. If I had to guess, he was still learning about his new life. And it got ME thinking. What would I do if that happened to me? How would my life change? Well I can tell you right now:

I wouldn't be able to dance
I wouldn't be able to do theater
I wouldn't be able to take long walks
I wouldn't be able to have as much independence
plus 1000 more

But I think it's important to add what I COULD do.

I would be able to dance
I would be able to do theater
I would be able to take long walks
I would learn how to have people help me
plus 1000 more

You see, I don't think it is necessarily a DISabillity but a challenge. You know, there is good in everything. And sometimes I can't see it immediately but normally it is right in front of my nose.

Think about your life RIGHT NOW. What good can or has come from a challenge of yours? I know challenges or trials are not one sided. There is good on both ends and every where in between.

photo credit Bonnie Tsang