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The Morpho Machine And The Magic Of Life’s Potential

I wasn’t sure I was going to really get into it. But after two episodes of ‘The Big Door Prize‘ I was hooked. There really was something magical about the way each character wrestled with identity and meaning. It was like the telling of an old fable — while the story was entertaining and fictional, there were some profound truths that reflected deeply in reality.

It really isn’t a new story. In fact, if your a fan of some of those old spaghetti westerns with Clint Eastwood, you probably would recognize some of the very similar elements — a stranger comes to town, turns much of the community upside down, transformers several of the marginalized characters (like the little person or the lonely widow) by empowering them or causing them to question their relationships in the community, and overturning the power structures along the way. Just so happens in this case that the stranger is a machine.

Here’s the question that really grabbed my imagination though… What would you do if your life potential came out as: DISABLED?!

Seriously, would you have it printed on a blue sweatshirt and wear it everywhere you went? Probably not. And like some of the characters in the show, you probably wouldn’t be telling others about it to quickly either. Although, most would probably notice it right away. In truth, we probably would find it confusing as to how the word ‘DISABILITY’ was being associated with our life’s potential.

In most cases, the word disability carries a certain stigma and negative meaning with it. We avoid being associated with the word DISABLED because we recognize a certain fatalism, prejudice, and label to which our society places upon those with disabilities. Henri Nouwen says that:

“Fatalism afflicts us in many ways. It affects our relationships. We use labels and categories that prevent us from expecting anything new from each other.”

Nouwen, Henri. Turn My Mourning into Dancing (p. 43). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

When the word ‘disability’ is treated as a label, rather than a defined element in character, it allows prejudice and ableism to diminish the life potential and human value upon individuals. If it was instead held lightly as a revealing of defined human liminality and physical or mental embodiment, disability could redefine itself as individual and communal empowerment for potential.

This sort of fatalism and ableism is not necessarily absent from the internal wrestlings of the disabled themselves, either. They also must learn and repent of an ableist mindset in order to discover new potentials in life.

For most of my life I chose to avoid the label of being disabled. I told people that I’d rather find meaning as a person with CHALLENGES. The thought was that we need to do away with limiting words like disability because of the damaging ways society has abused it and misused its true definition. Unfortunately, I now recognize that this created a disembodiment and sort of disassociation with my physical wellbeing and personhood over the course of my life. As Hillary McBride describes:

“Our body and our personhood are so intimately connected that they can never be separated. We are not just a mind, or brain, carried around by a meat-puppet of flesh and bones. Embodiment is a kind of remembering of who we really are, because what we picked up along the way was disembodiment. But disembodiment is not how we come into the world. It can be unlearned, while embodiment, our birthright, can be remembered. So embodiment is a coming home, a remembering of our wholeness, and a reunion with the fullness of ourselves.”

McBride, Hillary L.. The Wisdom of Your Body (pp. 13-14). HarperCollins Canada. Kindle Edition.

So how can we find renewed meaning and embodiment in the word DISABILITY? Over the next few weeks I would like to explore three identity building practices I found in Betty Pies’s book ‘The Space Between Us‘. It is my hope we can find a deeper and more robust meaning as people with disabilities through understanding our Defined, our Defended, and our Deeper identity’s.

This post originally was published here: atthebottomofthewell.com/2023/07/30/the-morpho-machine-and-t...

#Potential #Disabled #Embodiment

The Morpho Machine And The Magic Of Life’s Potential

I wasn’t sure I was going to really get into it. But after two episodes of ‘The Big Door Prize’ I was hooked. There really was something magical about the way each character wrest…
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It hurts

The most heartbreaking thing about being diagnosed #Autistic late for me is how many benefits and possible support systems I might have missed out on when I was younger. And being ostracized for struggles and mannerisms out of my control. #LateDiagnosis #Disabled #Disability

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Struggling with PTSD financial crisis

I can't work for abusive people anymore. Nearly every job I've had is toxic to traumatizing. I'm trying to sell my art directly, but overwhelmed with the business side and shutting down with high PTSD symptoms. I am applying for disability again, but it's not solving food and shelter now. I need help!I can't make rent again. I'm alone and drowning facing eviction every month.

#CPTSD #developmentaltrauma #Disabled #housingcrisis #toxicworkplace #ChronicDepression #exhausted #toxicfamily

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Hello! I'm New...

My name is Serieve (imsmandrews). I just signed up to The Mighty today (03/23/2023). My "About Me" section is filled out, if anyone is interested. An adult, I live in Ontario, Canada. My main Chronic Illnesses | Disabilities are a Brain Injury, Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy, MECFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), and various Neurological symptoms. MECFS has very much derailed my life; I'm mainly housebound, am often in bed (not by choice), and I cannot work mainstream currently (eg. 8-4, 9-5).

I dislike most willful ignorance and stupidity (Ableism comes to mind).

Does anyone know if there is a place on here to ask questions about site preferences How-To's and related?

What are some things newcomer members like myself should know about The Mighty?

After checking out Groups and Topics, where should I go from here?

#Canada #Disability #BrainInjury #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #PrematureBirth #Disabled

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The Ways Judy Heumann Impacted the Disability Rights Movement

• "Judy Heumann, called the "mother of disability rights" passed away at the age of 75 onMarch 4th. Heumann famously said
"I want to see feisty disabled people change the world."
• "Judy was the first teacher who used a wheelchair in New York City.
Judy fought for the rights of disabled school teacher, suing the local school board of education. This is a huge step not only for public school teachers but for all professions everywhere. Disabled people deserve to be in every occupation in every level of leadership."
• "Judy changed the landscape for disability & employment laws.
Judy was the first teacher who used a wheelchair in New York City. Judy sued the local school board of education when they didn't allow her to teach in her chair.
This is a huge step not only for public school teachers but for all professions everywhere. Disabled people deserve to be in every occupation in every level of leadership. Judy set a precedent.”
• “Judy worked on a federal level to make sure disabled people had equal benefits and opportunities at work.
Judy organized a 10-city protest to encourage President Nixon to sign the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504). This act ensures that individuals with disabilities will have equal opportunities and benefits in the workplace.”
• “Judy revolutionized equal access to education. Judy helped develop legislation that became the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA makes sure that students with a disability receive a Free Appropriate Education, which is designed to meet their needs."
• "Judy worked towards independence for disabled people Judy co-founded the World Institute on Disability in 1983. The World Institute on Disability is dedicated to helping disabled people live as independently as possible.
• "Judy Heumann's tireless efforts, protest and constant work helped establish the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law that protects disabled people against discrimination in all areas of life."
• “Thank you Judy. Rest in Power.
We will not forget the work you did to change disability rights forever." ##Disability #disabilitycommunity
#DisabilitylsDiversity #disabilityawareness
#DisabilitiesAwareness
#DisabilityAdvocate #disabilitysolidarity #DisabilityReframed #disabilitysupport
#invisibledisabilities
#inclusionmatters #Inclusion
#InclusionRevolution #ChooseTolnclude
#accessible #AccessibilityForAll
#disabledaccess #AccessibilityMatters
#accessforall #Disabled
#DisabilitiesAdvocate
#DisabledButNotReally
#RememberingJudyHeumann #ripjudyheumann #RIPJudy
#judyheumann #Activism

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The First Time I Used My Cane At School {And how I realized that I had nothing to worry about} #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder

It's been nearly a year since I started using my cane regularly at school. Although I'm now able to use it with out feeling too anxious, that wasn't always the case. I remember when I first got it, it was in the middle of 10th grade. I had finally worked up the courage to take it to school....and I left it in my bag. I didn't even take it out, I was so terrified of someone seeing it.

The summer break before my Junior year, I had MULTIPLE panic attacks just thinking about using it. It was the fact that people would notice me, and would be looking at me. That terrified me, I couldn't handle the thought of being noticed by others, even if for just a second. I already dealt with people looking at me due to my tics, I didn't think I could handle being looked at for another reason on top of that. Nethertheless, I knew I needed to bring it to school, I knew I that the benefits would GREATLY out way the anxieties I had. And so I did, I brought it.

I was so nervous the whole week before school, infact I had a pretty huge breakdown caused by my stress and anxiety. Still, the first day of Junior year I brought my cane. And.....it went suprisingly well. There were a few stares, but they weren't as common as I thought. The few questions I got, were all asked by my teachers. No one was rude, or made me feel embarrassed to use one. By the end of the day, I had realized I had nothing to worry about.

I go to a decent sized school. And there's a handful of students who also use mobility aids. I think that knowing that helped me a bit with my anxiety, and the feeling of feeling alone. Infact, towards the end of my first semester of Junior year, a student who also uses a cane transfered to my school. It turned out that they were my friend from middle school, who ended up moving. We became really good friends, even closer than we would be if we didn't both bond over using mobility aids.

I'm really glad I didn't give into my anxiety, and that I still brought it despite the intense panic I originally felt. It has helped me immensely with dealing with the symptoms I deal with from my FND. Though I still sometimes feel anxious using it, it's nowhere near as bad or constant as it was in the beginning.

I'm writing this to not only share my experience, but to hopefully help someone who wants, or needs to use their mobility aid in a more public setting for the first time, but is scared, to realize that although it can be scary at first. It will be ok. Even if people stare, and make rude comments it will be ok. Your saftey is hundreds of times more important than what others might think of you

#FND #FunctionalNeurologicalDisorder #FND #Disabled #Mobilityaid #BabeWithAMobilityAid #Confidence #Disabledandproud

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Healthy distractions

Japanese flower hat jellyfish found in the West Pacific I find these creatures so amazing and beautiful.#chronicoain #MDD #Disabled #neurogenicmuscleatrophy #chronicalodynia #healthydistraction

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Webb telescope

Just imagine the great expanse of the universe and this telescope has captured thousands of galaxies. #ChronicPain #neurogenicmuscleatrophy #Depression #musclespasms #Disabled #healthydistractions

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