A neatly decorated Christmas tree, alongside the fireplace, and few presents scattered underneath are testament to the approach of Christmas day. I have little to say about the season, except to wish all a love filled time of giving.
The past year has been tumultuous. A year of dramatic developments and some poorly timed health problems. When I was newly injured I was told it would get easier each day. This is not the case. I know life is not meant to be easy. Any brief look at nature will show you how every part of nature has to toil and struggle against the being crushed. Why should we be different? Being a struggle does not preclude beauty and enjoyment. So enjoy every beautiful moment and remember struggle produces character.
These are not the sagacious words of a philosopher, although I been known for philosophical outbursts, instead I count them as hard won learning from the last 6 years of living with paralysis. You will have your own experience and your own lessons.
This year I have been involved in much. The most notable being the launch of a training company called Aide de Vie and a charity called Open Roads. On Monday I be presenting a short presentation on the goals and aims of Open Roads as we compete to win the opportunity to complete our main aim, to develop and run a centre that will meet the needs of people struggling with a physical or mental disability.
We represent a new approach to viewing "disability". Not as as an inability but a different ability. The label "disabled" is no different the apartheid description of people as "non-white". Aside from the the negative implications of the word, it can't be right to describe someone by reference to what they are not! Otherwise women would be non-male and children non-adults. We (society) need to rethink our use of the language before it inadvertently shapes our world. The following posters are examples of the paradigm shift we are going to promote.
So raise your glasses to Open Roads this Christmas and celebrate our different abilities.
2 comments:
We will raise our glasses to your Open Roads and hopefully they will remain wide open in 2009 to be there for all those who wish to travel along them and benefit from their new experience. Some roads are bumpy and have potholes, but by the sounds of it you are all trying to make this "road" as smooth as possible. Nice work and God's Blessings to you all.
Love
Mom
"The past year has been tumultuous." You truly amaze me with your positive outlook on life Julius. I wish I could learn just a fraction of what you have accomplished when I am travelling on what I believe to be a bumpy road with potholes.
Happy Christmas!
Diana
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