Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities!

The UN established December 3rd as International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 2012. it's meant to promote accessibility and eliminate barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing the services they need. What I like best about such a day is that it is meant to encourage people to work together to ensure everyone, including people with disabilities is provided with the same rights and services so that society can make even more progress. 

In some ways I think having a disability is one of the best things about my life. Since I was diagnosed with epilepsy as a teenager, I have found that having this condition has caused me to have even more faith in humanity's goodness. I take medication but if that medication stops working and I have a seizure in some public place, I have to trust that someone, out of the goodness of their heart and mind will be willing to help me. I'm happy that people, even complete strangers have indeed helped me in such cases. I'm also glad to have a disability because it led me to meet people who continue to work hard to help their peers with disabilities to get services and the support they need to be independent and fully functional in society.  In short, I think what I like most about having a disability is that it can be a source of unity on many levels and if enough people unite around a cause like that, they can accomplish so much. Indeed, a lot has already been accomplished in terms of helping people with disabilities have equal access to all aspects of society and daily living. I realize that people with disabilities still struggle with many things and this reminds me of a Swahili quote I heard once that says: "Life has meaning only in the struggle. Triumph or defeat is in the hands of the Gods… So let us celebrate the struggle!"  So I use International Day of Persons with Disabilities to celebrate the struggle because I want to believe that as a result of the struggle one day true equality will be a reality rather than an idea. When that day comes (and hopefully I'll see it!) I'll party like a rock star!