Courage to Have Hope
I am an eternal optimist. I look at my cup as half-full instead of half-empty. I have dreams and expectations for the journey I chose, even when there seems to be only a glimmer of ‘success’ in the societal perspective. What’s really important is that I feel like I’m making a difference and ‘paying it forward’.
Graduation just happened for many students across the country. They have dreams and plans of a life to be lived to the fullest. Some will go to college, others to work, and some haven’t a clue yet, what they want to do. Yet, most of them will remain optimistic and filled with the hope they will find their place in society within usually a year or so—and perhaps even sooner.
There are those in our communities, however, who struggle to keep their hope alive. Life has not been kind and they want nothing more than a day without pain, scars, humiliation, and self-image completely depleted, because of a disability, over which they have no control.
Fear and a deep feeling of hopelessness sometimes grips people so much they choose to give up, instead of moving forward. It’s easy for most of us to have a decent measure of hope, even if we fail to really think about it. Our complete functionality is apparent and our minds work with amazing success—albeit at different levels, with family who love us and often, reasonably good health.
Caregivers of this ‘people group’ fight for their children (or spouses) to have ‘good days’ with medical teams helping them maintain a precarious sense of balance. Depression, diabetes, cancers of all descriptions, taunting, and self doubt cloud even those days which seem productive. But even they, fight the battles of depression and loss of hope when they see their loved one struggle, while the medical community seemingly, often lets them down, when no answers come.
Add to this the local community who looks the other way, and refuses to accommodate those with disabilities in terms of a transportation need, business accessibility, general seclusion, low tolerance, and disparities or denial of the same rights many of their non-disabled peers enjoy.
Even with all these drawbacks and hurdles, it’s so encouraging to watch these often battered human beings clinging to the hope that one day they will be successful and rise above the din of noise that beats them down!
Laws have been set in place to remedy some of the situations of discrimination many persons with disability have. But there is still much to be done. Awareness of the level of discrimination and what we as a community could do to aid in tolerance and inclusion, for these special people, would be amazing. But, it takes work and not everyone is willing. In fact many aren’t even interested!
If we as a nation would rally around those who fight these kinds of battles every single day, can you imagine the impact we could make? Kindness in any form is an immeasurable confidence builder for anyone—regardless of ability!
In your daily outings, whether at work, shopping, vacationing or doing something else, should you encounter someone with a disability, be kind. Be genuine and respond to them as a neighbor or friend. Your kindness could impact them in ways you could never imagine.