Not Just Black and White

How do you view the world? As a crip (what my husband calls us disabled people, as he is one, too), I'd have to say that I have many experiences that most people don't have, likewise, I'm sure. However, a (long) while back, I was having a hard time explaining this to a friend. We were talking about golf, I believe.

I was saying how I wanted to play sometime, but I got the feeling she didn't understand. At first, I was confused; I thought the course was not accessible, however then I thought otherwise. Maybe, because most people who play golf are on two feet, it was hard to understand why or how I could play. From my knowledge of the game, though, one just (tries to) hits a ball into a hole, right, and drives the golf cart, or my chair, as the case is, to each stop. I'm not talking about professionally playing-just having some fun.

I get that kind of misunderstanding often, though. Many people assume that there is only one "right" way to do something, but being disabled, I've learned that that just isn't so. Here's an example: I always tell people I'm gonna go on a walk, or I'm gonna walk over there and... Okay, truth be told, I'm not "walking" anywhere like most of you, I'm rolling, but it's my walking. So I told this lady, "oh yeah, I walk just about everywhere I want to go." She had the nerve to answer back, "Walk; what? You mean you role, right?" Honestly, I wanted to smack that woman.

The point I'm trying to make is this: creativity counts for much. I've long ago learned that if you can't do something one way, try another way; it's not always gonna be clear-cut. Yes, I'm physically slower than the average non disabled person, but mentally, I‘m just fine, and having a good time is something nobody should have to miss. Each time we do something, we learn what works and what doesn't, but it's hardly ever just black and white.