Eyes Opened

   I dreamed that people actually read this blog, people who I never would have expected would. I think this blog's important for just me but it's cool to think that anyone else would read it!
   This morning I took my "temporarily" disabled friend Leah to the store and it was an adventure. For her Accessible Recreation class, she had to spend 4 hours in a wheelchair and was advised to do anything that might open her eyes to the issues that people confined to wheelchairs are faced with every day. So we went to the store before our Risk Management class. It was somewhat funny that she couldn't get into her apartment; the only way in was up stairs and it was too much of a hassle. So I took her groceries in for her.      After class, we went through the library and to the greenhouse. I have been wanting her to see it and we wanted to see how accessible it was, though I was already thinking of how difficult it was going to be. We had to go around to a back door and a fellow had to open it from the inside. We had to get the wheelchair over a big curb and inside the greenhouse, it was really hard to maneuver it. I was enlightened, too, about how we had to think of if she would be able to get the wheelchair from point A to B if we went a certain way.
   On our way to return the wheelchair, we attempted to ride it together down the shallow decline from the Benson building to the Romney. I sat on her lap and as soon as I did, I knew it would be more awkward than fun. She couldn't see around me and I had to hold myself on her lap lest I slip off and get rolled over. It gave us a good laugh though, and I'm glad we gave it a go. I did step on the back of the chair and ride it fast down the sidewalk with her though it wasn't easy to steer. (I admit to not being the safest driver whether I'm in a car, on a bike or steering a wheelchair.)
 I was amazed at how kind people were to Leah, how helpful they would be without smiling or saying a word most of the time. It was as if they had an undeniable obligation to help her, even while they wouldn't think twice about being as kind to people who they perceive as capable enough to do those tasks for themselves. Leah pointed out a profound point though, that most disabilities are "inside" of us and I said that we should be as kind to everyone, no matter what we can see and know about them. It can be hard to do, especially when people who are capable often deny help and I realized that those with more obvious disabilities are perhaps more aware of the need for kindness and patience and so it's easier to help them because we know more or less that they will be receptive and grateful for it. The more we have, the less we hold onto it; the less we have, the more tenaciously we cling to it.