Disabled people can do some tasks in the same way that non-disabled people can because being disabled does not mean you can’t do anything. As a disabled person, I have accepted the fact that there are going to be a lot of things that my disability prevents me from doing well, but even though I have accepted my limitations, that does not mean I am always happy about it, and it only means I have come to terms with it. When you are disabled, sometimes not being able to do something does not bother you because you have never had that experience, but I would be lying if I said I never wished I could do things that I can’t because sometimes I do want to do things my disability prevents me from doing. When you are disabled, sometimes it feels isolating because most people don’t get it, and I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting the experience of going on a run that your disability prevents you from doing. What does my disability prevent me from doing that I wish I could? In this post, I am going to talk about five things I cannot do because of my disability that I wish I had the ability to do.
I wish I could travel alone– As a disabled person, I have the ability to travel but whenever I travel, I always have to go with someone because I am not able to carry heavy bags like a non-disabled person can without assistance. I am grateful that my family makes traveling possible because not all disabled people can travel out of the state they live in due to the lack of accessibility in hotels, but I do sometimes wish I could go on a trip to another country without my family. I am grateful that I am able to travel with family, but most of the time when I travel, I visit my family in Michigan and don’t have a lot of experiences going places just for the experience. Traveling with a disability is stressful because I have to think about things that most people don’t, and there is a part of me that wishes I could save up for a trip without needing someone else’s approval, but because of my disability, that will never be a reality. There are a lot of places that I wish I could travel to, but because of my disability, I will never have the experience of taking a trip to Greece alone. I can’t fly safely without having a seizure and need someone with me to help me do things I can’t do.
I wish I could exercise to the extent non-disabled people can– Exercise is possible for many disabled people, but it is harder when you have a physical disability because fitness is not accessible, and it’s not the same experience. I exercise regularly, but exercising is not the same experience for me because my disability prevents me from doing a lot of exercises, and I can’t do any exercise without thinking about my disability. Exercise may be possible with my disability, but I wish I could exercise to the extent that non-disabled people can and could do whatever routine I come across that looks fun, but that will never be my reality. I don’t always enjoy doing exercises such as walking or swimming, but sometimes I have no choice because it’s the only thing I am able to do. Walking workouts can be good for disabled people, but when you have a physical disability and have to use your arms and your legs to walk, it’s not as low-impact as it would be for a non-disabled person because it requires more effort. Fitness would be more enjoyable if I weren’t as limited, and I wish I could exercise to the extent non-disabled people can.
I wish I could drive- People with physical disabilities who do not have use of their legs can sometimes drive because you can get your car modified to use hand controls instead of controlling the gas with your foot. As a disabled person with a physical disability, I do not drive, not because I couldn’t, but my vision would make it unsafe. I am grateful that I have people in my life who will drive to the store to pick things up for me, but I wish I could do it myself because not being able to drive and being stuck at home ninety-nine percent of the time is the hardest part of my disability. When you have a physical disability, driving is more expensive because you have to buy a car and have it modified, and even if I could physically drive, I don’t think I could afford it on my current income. I hate that I can’t drive because sometimes I don’t want to be at home and want experiences outside of my family life. Many disabled people with physical disabilities don’t drive because you have to buy a car and pay thousands of dollars to get it modified, which is unaffordable for most people.
I wish I could participate in every activity with my non-disabled friends– I have accepted that my disability has limitations, but even though I have accepted my reality, it doesn’t make it easy. My entire family is not disabled, and sometimes they will do things that are not accessible, and that is okay because I expect people without disabilities to do inaccessible things sometimes. I may have accepted my reality, but that doesn’t mean I don’t wish I could do inaccessible activities that most people without disabilities enjoy. I wish I could participate in every single activity with my non-disabled sisters, but the reality is there are some activities I can’t enjoy because they are not accessible, and even if it’s technically possible, I don’t always want to because it’s not as enjoyable.
I wish I could get a college degree– My learning disability makes it difficult to get a college degree because I don’t learn as quickly, and not everyone knows how to explain things in a way that people with learning disabilities understand. I hate that I can’t get an education after high school because finding employment is already hard enough with a disability, and not having any level of education to show employers that you have skills makes it even harder. I wish I could get some kind of education that I could use to grow my blog, because it’s one thing to choose not to go to college than not be able to. I wish my disability didn’t limit my ability to get a higher education and a job in general.
Disabled people learn to accept the reality that there are some things your disability will prevent you from doing, but even though you have accepted something, that does not mean you are happy about it. As a disabled person, I try to focus on things I can do rather than remind myself of what I can’t, but that doesn’t mean I never wish I could do things my physical disability limits. People in my life are always willing to help me do difficult things, but I hate that I have to ask for help on things that come easily to most people, because sometimes you want to do something without help. I can’t change my disability, and I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting to do things to the capacity non-disabled people can because it is hard to be disabled in a world that is not designed for us. My disability prevents me from doing a lot of things, and although there are some things my disability doesn’t prevent me from doing well, there are even more things that I struggle with and are not the same experience. Disabled people aren’t bothered by everything we cannot do because we don’t always think about it, but sometimes, we do wish we could do a task that our disabilities limit. If you are disabled, what things can you not do that you wish you could? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
Subscribe And Never Miss A Post
My Rockin Disabled Life 