Sharing My Sparkle as a Young Woman With Cerebral Palsy

Able Finder recently posted a story about me and used sparkling stars and heart emojis to describe me. The sparkling stars emoji reminded me of how to handle a situation I regularly find myself in.

Cerebral palsy often comes with many physical and medical challenges. Because not every life story is the same, it can be hard for society to understand how individuals choose to overcome challenges or explain their daily lives. I have learned not to let others take away my sparkle. Because I value what others think so much, I often find myself saying “I wish I could take that text message back,” or I threaten to delete my social media accounts when I am told to stop being so “negative” when explaining the details of my story. I take my hand off of the deactivate social media buttons when others share their stories with me, and I am reminded that I am helping at least one person feel understood. Therefore, it does not matter if others believe I am “negative.”

Don’t let others take away your sparkle. You have a message no one else can tell the world. Others may not understand, but you have the opportunity to educate and bring awareness. Also, it is important to accept others as they come. You may have no idea how much someone’s honest story can have a positive impact on your life.

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