Anticipation

It’s a good thing.

I’m anticipating two big events.

The first is two weeks in Guatemala at a Spanish immersion school over the Christmas holiday.  I was invited by a friend who attended the same school several years ago.  At first Bob and I went through the reasons why this may not be good idea such as:

What if you fall

What if 5 hours of class a day is too much for you

What if you get homesick after the first week? (Why not consider one week vs two)

How will you shower?

What if you get sick from drinking the water?

What are you going to do in this country the other 14 hours when you’re not in class?

Walking will be very difficult due to the cobblestone streets

The school was wonderful in addressing all my concerns.  For this reason and my mother-in-law, I am now going to Guatemala in December.  Fortunately for me, she is in a “Just say yes. mode and persuaded Bob that we should do the same. It has been a goal for as long as I can remember to speak Spanish fluently.   

The second event is a trip to Costa Rica in February An early 60^th birthday gift from my sister-in-law and her husband. The timing couldn’t be better as it will allow me to immediately reinforce the Spanish after the school

My family and friends are helping me fulfill my lifelong goals. They see the whys and aren’t intimidated by the why nots. It takes a village….

"No distance for a handicapper"

I try to write about how I feel living as a disabled person but it is difficult for me, since I am not a professional writer.  Every once in a while a professional does articulate how I feel.  A case in point, the October 5^th article in The New York Times titled “A Disabled Life is a Life worth Living.”

Ben Mattlin, the author, is correct in stating, “We seek fair treatment, rightful access to everything in society — jobs, and romantic prospects, and so on. Highlighting the downside of disabilities seems counterproductive and self-pitying”.

Mattlin comments that living with a disability is to understand the fragility of life. Most of my friends are as Mattlin goes on to say, “at the pinnacle of their careers, and I’m just getting by. I shouldn’t complain, I tell myself. Unemployment among disabled people is crushingly high”.   Today, my work, which used to define me, is limited to volunteer work.  The work is satisfying but not rewarding.

I continue to evaluate the bright side of a disability. I am a “problem solver’ as Mattlin points out. I have found devices to help me cook, which is my passion. I have Hope, which allows me to walk, unaided by a human. I can also write with my non-dominant hand. Transportation is no longer an issue thanks to Uber, Bob, and my assistant, Donna.  I problem-solved my way to get to Guatemala for Christmas to attend a Spanish immersion school

It is a hassle to devise alternative methods to complete simple activities of living, a “so called normal life”. But when I figure alternatives out, I am liberated.

Thanks for listening.

Read the article for more insight