Hope

On a recent visit to a sick kids ward I had the pleasure to be engaged by a mesmerising smile, glinting eyes and affectionately happy communication which comprised of no words.

I was sucked in with an overwhelming sense of warmth, happiness and contentment that was coursing through my veins. Personal worries and stress lifted in an instance; life in perspective!

My experience makes me question the meaning of what is normal, what is a disability and more profoundly the role of society in pigeon holing people in to boxes of normal or not. Surely my experience tells us one thing that the young person without verbal communication managed to change my outlook, feelings and demeanour completely in a matter of seconds, quicker than words spoken or written and more enchanting and definitely longer lasting, writing this narrative 4-days later is proof.

If disability is being different, needing more support or challenging society and its views and stereotypes then I say let’s bring it on! What is more important is the breaking barriers, acceptance and making life a much more rewarding place for all. If some want to shape society in a fashion of their own making, please, it has to be one for all and not the few!

I hope for that young girl in a hospital bed that got in to my psyche so intensely in a fleeting moment is provided all the support and acceptance by you, me and society.

We have the responsibility to challenge but also to embrace all in our society that are different from ourselves, remembering being different is a good thing. It makes us human!