Tag Archives: self love

Eternally Thankful

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While turkey might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Thanksgiving holiday, there is much more to it than just a great feast. Every year for Thanksgiving, it’s tradition to take note of all that you are thankful for. I have never truly thought too deeply into this question until now. So, this year, what am I thankful for?

I will start off with the cliché statement in saying, I am thankful for my family. I am blessed with the most amazing family members that wholeheartedly believe in me, support my passions, and continuously surround me with love.

I am thankful for my friends. They are the ones who are always there for me, even when we’re apart. Each of them has the ability to instantly lift my spirits. When I’m with them, I am genuinely my happiest self. I haven’t a clue what I’d do without these incredible people.

I am even thankful for this year and our days spent in quarantine. Such time in isolation has allowed me an abundance of time for self-reflection and mental healing.

I am thankful for life. I give thanks to every hurdle I’ve had to pass through to get to where I am today, and I am optimistic for the opportunities that lie ahead of me in the future. This year has taught me to appreciate and be grateful for all that I have. In the midst of such fearful times, we must take a second to be thankful that we are still here on Earth living and breathing. I have learned to waste no time in going after what it is that we want and to have more faith in myself. I shall challenge myself in asking “why not?” when faced with a new goal, and achieve each of them by telling myself “I can”. We must live our lives to the fullest and live out our biggest dreams, now rather than later, with what time we are granted.

For many families, Thanksgiving might look a little different this year. However you may choose to celebrate, it’s never a bad time to spend a day celebrating gratitude. I refuse to dwell on the negatives life may at times spring upon us, therefore I am eternally thankful.

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Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving tomorrow!

Embracing My Differences

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Growing up I never saw myself as any different from everyone else. It was never a big deal to me that I simply sat and rolled while others stood and walked. I felt annoyed by, but quickly got used to children in public pointing at me and asking their parent what happened to me. It took me years to even realize that I am different. 

I’ve never seen the need to call attention to my differences. I am disabled yes, but I’m also just your average young adult with my own hobbies and aspirations, much like you may have. I have never attempted to consider myself as part of a “community” or felt the need to be celebrated for being “so strong” for the way that I live. 

When I randomly discovered that July was Disability Pride Month, I first felt silly that there even was a holiday celebrating people like me. But then, the story-lover in me did some research. Why is July “Disability Pride Month”? That’s because July marks the anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. I then recalled that I had once written on my blog about this very date.

Taking a second look at that date, astonishment set in me. It seemed so unbelievable to me that only 30 years ago, people like me were just granted rights that I have today. Today I can look around and see ramps at the end of many sidewalks. Because of what people of all different disabilities fought for, I was welcomed into public schooling because they are required to have wheelchair ramp access and elevators. What I had thought of as nothing more than a social media trend, now started to make sense. 

I now claim newfound pride to be a disabled person. I came to the realization that it’s okay to celebrate me and what I symbolize. This month gave me an opportunity to recognize how fortunate I am due to the plight of those who came before me. Although I refuse to let my disability entirely define me as a person, I took this month to recognize myself and embrace my position in a community of others like me.

I can do without the cliché, restrictive saying that I am “differently abled”. I know what I am capable of. My disability adds many challenges to my everyday life, but I’ve lived this way my whole life, and it is my normal. I’ve lived everyday simply accepting who I am, but now I vow to appreciate the things that make me, me. I have brown hair, brown eyes, and I have a disability in which I use a wheelchair to get around. From this month forward, I am embracing my differences.