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From: cas@mtdcb.att.com (Clifford A Stevens, Jr)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Knowing your limitiations
Summary: Poor cripple?
Message-ID: <13715@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 27 Aug 90 20:11:28 GMT
References: <13604@bunker.UUCP>
Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: cas@mtdcb.att.com (Clifford A Stevens, Jr)
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Index Number: 9999

In article <13604@bunker.UUCP>, Nadine.Thomas@p59.f1.n360.z1.fidonet.org
(Nadine Thomas) writes:
NT> Index Number: 9899
NT> 
NT> In a message to Nadine Thomas <13 Aug 90 11:26:00> Adrienne Barhydt wrote:
NT> 
NT>  AB> Well said!  I have been struggling with this idea for several years
NT>  AB> now.  I could not see that every day I was pushing myself to my
NT>  AB> absolute limit.  I can see that now.  I am learning that I must do
NT>  AB> as you say and do -  "in order for me to survive day to day my
NT>  AB> disabilities have to be formost and upfront".  But what a battle
NT>  AB> that is!  It is clearly not how our culture teaches us to live our
NT>  AB> lives.
NT> 
NT> The paradox is that if we respect our disability and do LESS then
NT> we will be able to do MORE.  Our culture teaches us to ignore our
NT> body messages and push on etc.  because perfection is pushed in our
NT> society - in advertising etc.  To look at our "weaknesses" is taboo
NT> and to accept less than perfection is a sin and unheard of!
NT> 
NT> Had a little girl about 3 1/2 or 4 climb up on the seat next to me
NT> at the docs office today.  She looked at me and I smiled at her she
NT> figured I was okay and smiled back then asked me what that was on
NT> my arm and hand and I told her it was a special brace cause I had a
NT> boo boo and I showed her my scar. I told her it made my arm feel
NT> better.  She smiled again, satisfied, and got off the chair and
NT> went back to her mommy.  In a couple of years she will be
NT> indoctrinated enough that she will not dare to be so spontaneous
NT> and may even pretend I don't exist - because I am not perfect.

But then did the childs mother smack her and say, "Don't bother the poor
cripple!"?  Unfortunately, I've seen that before!  Kids are great, innocent
and curious!  But parents think being handicapped is contagious!

------------
Militant Handicapped Survivor!
	Cliff Stevens	MT1E228  att!cbnewsj!ncas  (908)671-7292