written by Ken Chun
I was born with Spina Bifida, which is a malformation of the spinal cord that caused paralysis in my lower extremities. I think it is important for people to realize that although I’m in a wheelchair, I’m still doing whatever I want. All too often, people stereotype a person in a wheelchair as a defenceless invalid who can’t do anything for himself without asking for help. Pardon my language, but that’s a stinking load of buffalo chips! It really burns my butt when people with disabilities choose to believe that crap, and it makes me want to slap ’em! Their excuse for not being more active usually goes along the lines of, Well, the doctor (or friends, parents, etc.) told me that I can’t do this type of activity. Screw the doctor (or whoever told you that). What does that idiot know?!
When I was born thirty-one years ago, the doctors said I wasn’t going to live, and if I did, I wouldn’t have much of a “normal” life. Can anybody give me a good definition of “normal”? Well, I?ve been proving them wrong ever since. Can’t join Cub Scouts and have fun? Did it! Can’t join Law Enforcement Explorers? Think again! Can’t train in the martial arts? Been doing that since 1984. Can’t get a college degree in Administration of Justice with a minor in psychology, and then actually find a place to work with that degree? Did that too!
Are you beginning to see a pattern here? Good! You wanna do something? First, you gotta stop all the whining about how you can’t do something. Whining does nothing but alienate people and make you feel miserable. The only people who will ever listen to constantly whining, miserable people day in and day out are psychologists, and you have to pay them to do it! Second, find a way to do what you want to do, no matter what. If you’re passionate about something, then just do it, and tell all the narrow-minded idiots you encounter to ?shut the hell up!? The only limitation we as human beings have is in ourselves. To quote Bruce Lee, “Use no limitation as limitation; use no way as way.” What does that mean? In my opinion, it means you do what you want, regardless of what people (even you) tell you is not possible for you to do.
To learn more about Spina Bifida, check out the spina Bifida Association’s website at www.sbaa.org. To learn more about Trident Academy, go to www.tridentacademy.org. Tell ’em I sent ya!