WHO SAYS I'M DISABLED???

I usually love living for work quite early in the morning (earlier than I normally should) because for some reason, I get really motivated starting my day early. More so, because I always find this really inspiring man along the express who happens to be a differently-abled man who works (sells things) without actually walking.

Each time I see him, I can't help but stop to purchase some of his items as that is the only way I get the opportunity to speak with him a little. Someday however, after I had built a little rapport with him and known his name to be Abdul, I decided to ask a little about him and he told me he comes from a poor family of three siblings that struggle to make a living and survive somewhere around Gudu. Although he is physically challenged, he has to walk on boards with tires. He told me that being physically challenged is a tough thing to deal with in everyday life but, over the years, he has adjusted to it. This determined young man has committed to overcome his physical challenges and look to his abilities rather than his disability in order to assist his family in pulling themselves out of poverty and improving their living standards.

Having chatted with him a little, it reminded me of Spencer West's story, a very inspiring story of a man who managed to scale one of the highest peaks on the planet using just his hands as he had lost his legs when he was just five years old. But regardless of his physical limitations, he was able to reach the summit of the 19,341ft high Mt. Kilimanjaro after a slow, gruelling and awe-inspiring trek.

These made me realize that the real disability isn't that of the body, but of will and determination. A lot of us move about competently, indulge in all activities possible, experience little or no difficulty living our lives or going about our daily activities yet, we are DISABLED when faced with obstacles and challenges. We lack the drive and the will power to persevere through hardship. We slowly begin to feel the weight, gradually get depressed and eventually throw in the towel. Some even go as far as committing suicide. Why? Because they lack the will power, faith and determination required to keep them moving when life decides to knock them down or perhaps, cripple them. They are the ones that are in fact disabled, not the ones we see on the streets in clutches and wheel chairs trying to make ends meet or make the best of what life throws at them. Not the ones using their physical limitations as an inspiration not only to those who are physically challenged like them, but to us who are even able bodied humans. As I grow older, I have come to the realization that disability is a thing of the mind. I have also come to the realization that one isn't truly handicapped until he gives up. There is no life without obstacles, challenges, hardship, mountains, walls and barriers. Sometimes, it presents us with the worst possible condition/situation but what do we do whilst being in that condition? How do we turn our misfortunes into motivations? how do we use our negative experiences to impact into the lives of others positively or our failures to create a success story? These are things we really should ask ourselves because life would always hit us hard. We may lose our eyes, our hands, our voices or even our legs but  we still have our HEARTS/ MINDS which can be filled with faith, perseverance, hope and determination. And if we have all those, then who says we are disabled?
      
Enjoy the rest of your week. :)