Different abilities rely on strength of spirit
Most of us will wake up tomorrow, get dressed and head off to work or school without hesitation. Many of us will go about our daily routines with a few aches and pains that go along with the aging process, or a cold that will disappear in a day or two. And then there is that percentage of the population that faces each new day with a special physical challenge. For some, it is a limb that works differently; for others, it is a medical condition that requires daily monitoring, tests and injections. Some disabilities are temporary and others are life-changing. Some of our neighbors are born with their disability, yet others develop them by illness or accident. Regardless, disabilities and the challenges they bring don't discriminate — they strike newborns, the aged and everyone in between.
For the last few weeks The Morgan Messenger has featured stories about people from the area living with their disabilities. For every story that was told, there are hundreds that weren't.
The newly formed group, Morgan County Advocates for disAbility Awareness, held their first disAbility Awareness Day last Saturday. Not only was the day full of activities for those with a disability, but for their caregivers, families and friends.
The group's main goal is to make everyone aware of the resources available to those in the area, and to make those without disabilities aware of the special challenges that face those whose abilities are changed by disease, heredity or circumstance.
Their message is: "Having a disability doesn't change who you are...it only changes what you can do."
We could all learn from their message. We should be grateful for the things we can do — for ourselves and for others, and be mindful that a strong spirit can make up for any shortcomings of our bodies.
We were inspired by the stories of our neighbors who exhibit such strength of spirit, and hope that you were, too. And we applaud those organizers who have brought this issue to the forefront of our minds.
