HOPING TO RAISE AWARENESS~

[megpieelo77]

OK THERE IS SOMETHING ON MY CHEST I NEED TO GET OFF AND I READ SOMEWHERE THAT BLOGGING IS ACTUALLY A GOOD WAY TO RELEASE STRESS.  

TO THOSE WHO KNOW ME YOU KNOW THAT I WORK W/ THE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED.   I LOVE MY GIRLS JUST LIKE MY OWN FAMILY.  I GO THRU THE SAME RANGE OF EMOTIONS W/ THEM AS I DO ANYONE ELSE, HAPPY, SAD, FRUSTRATED, PROUD.  THEY ARE NO DIFFERENT IN MY EYES. 

YESTERDAY~AND THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME~WE WENT TO A SHOW.   PEOPLE ACTED LIKE THEY WEREN'T EVEN THERE.  LIKE THEY HAVE SOME INVISIBLE SHIELD THAT  HIDES THEM FROM THE WORLD.  ONE PERSON EVEN STOPPED DEAD IN HIS TRACKS AND LOOKED AT MY GIRLS LIKE THEY WERE SOME SORT OF CIRCUS SIDE SHOW.  I WAS  HORRIFIED.   HOW WOULD THEY FEEL IF SOMEONE DID THAT TO THEM.  I'LL TELL YA THEY WOULD SAY WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT.   SOMETIMES I WISH MY GIRLS WOULD DO THAT,  BUT I KNOW THAT ISN'T RIGHT EITHER. 

I COULDN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE HEARD IN THE OVER 4 YRS I'VE BEEN DOING THIS "I CAN'T BELIEVE  THEY HAVE THEM OUT" LIKE THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO BE CAGED AND NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE.   THEY HAVE THE SAME LIKES AND DISLIKES AS ANYONE ELSE~THEY HAVE FAVORITE TV SHOWS, FAVORITE MUSIC, FAVORITE CLOTHES~OR CLOTHES THEY DON'T LIKE TO WEAR AT ALL.   THEY LIKE TO GO SHOPPING, EAT OUT, SEE A SHOW, AND ABOVE ALL NOTHING MAKES THEM HAPPIER THEN WHEN SOMEONE TAKES THE TIME TO SAY "HI HOW ARE YA DOING".  IS THAT SO HARD TO BELIEVE THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE CAN'T WALK OR TALK THE WAY THAT WE DO AND TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT SOMETHING THAT SIMPLY CAN MAKE THEM SO SO HAPPY.  TO HAVE SOMEONE SHAKE THEIR HAND AND NOT RUN AWAY LIKE THEY HAVE SOME KIND OF PLAGUE THAT THEY CAN CATCH. 

I WALK UP STAIRS, I EAT WHEN I WANT TO, I GET TO DO WHAT I WANT WHAT EVER I WANT ~USUALLY.  LOL.  CAN YOU IMAGINE LIVING LIFE RELYING ON SOMEONE ELSE TO DO ALL OF THAT BUT JUST BEING HAPPY TO BE ALIVE.   WE ARE ALL BLESSED W/ TALENTS AND WE ARE ALL HERE FOR A REASON.   I AM HOPING IN WRITING THIS BLOG THE NEXT TIME YOU WALK PAST SOMEONE IN A WALMART WHO ISN'T LIKE YOU AND THEY LOOK AT YOU THAT YOU TAKE THE TIME TO SAY HELLO.  OR IF THEY ARE TRYING TO GET BY YOU IN A CROWDED STORE YOU HOLD A DOOR OPEN  OR MOVE OUT OF THE WAY W/ A SMILE.   THEY SEE AND FEEL WAY MORE THAN WE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND.    THIS IS JUST A BLOG TO VENT MY FRUSTRATION.  NOTHING ELSE.  I AM NOT SAYING HOW ANYONE SHOULD LIVE THEIR LIVES, JUST MAYBE SOMETHING FOR YOU TO THINK TWICE ABOUT.   WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR~EVEN IN THIS TIME OF CRAZINESS IN OUR WORLD.   PLEASE JUST TAKE THE TIME TO BE NICE TO SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NOT BE A FORTUNATE AS YOU. 

[momtomatthew02]

Dec. 18, 2008 at 4:39 PM

i am a nurse, and very  sympatetic and empathetic.  People stare.  I know.  I guess it's human nature, but they  should compose themselves and look the other way.  These people, as you mention, are just  like us.  They  need not  be ostracised.  Shame on the gauker.

[dzsteph]

Dec. 19, 2008 at 2:41 PM

You are absolutely right.  Working at the mall, I see a lot of people move to the other side of the room when a handicapped, disabled or challenged person comes their way.  I hope the right eyes read this and take heart.  Thank you for what you do!