Invisible Disabilities

Good morning! Happy World Kindness Day!

Today is Friday the 13th. Are you superstitious?

In 2001, on a “Friday the 13th”, I took a flight on United Airlines from Seattle to Denver and made it there in one piece. 🙂 Since then, I haven’t been as superstitious. I am not crazy about flying and I guess since I survived that flight (in my mind) there’s not much to the superstition of “Friday the 13th”.

This morning, I read a post regarding “Invisible Disabilities”. I understood it and at times, have been frustrated over peoples “judgments”.

First off, how many times have we been told “it is not our place to judge”? I know that it is something that needs to constantly be worked on. I fall into the trap of “judging” people who judge (ironically, so) and at times, have to catch myself when I think or say an unkind word about someone. For me, I constantly work on it so that my focus stays where it should stay.

The post that I read was about a woman, with MS, who parked in a handicapped spot when she went shopping with her daughter. Someone left a note on her windshield asking “Did you forget your wheelchair”?

Not all disabilities are visible. I was diagnosed with MS in 2010, but I’ve had symptoms since 1998. Over the years, people (even family members) would be critical, impatient and unkind because of a certain way I was acting or doing something that they didn’t understand. After my diagnosis, people were kinder and understood. But, why do we have to have a diagnosis to be kind and patient? Why is it hard to be kind when someone is doing something we don’t agree with or like?

The woman wrote a letter to the person that left the note. She explained she was having a “good day” and was able to walk unassisted. But, by leaving that note it turned into a bad day for her. It made her feel like people were looking at her the exact way she feels when she can’t walk properly. She explained that a disability doesn’t always mean a person has to be wheelchair-bound and that we don’t know everything and just because you can’t see it, it doesn’t mean a person isn’t struggling to put one foot in front of the other.

I have had these thoughts and conversations with people and loved ones, also. My husband and I have had to explain to people that just because Jenn “looks normal”, doesn’t mean that she isn’t dealing with and fighting something, everyday. I want to be as “normal” as possible.  I have learned to place my focus on my “wellness” part of me. It’s not always easy and at times harder than others times, but I think it so important to learn. We do have “wellness” parts of us and that part should be our core.

Everyday, all across the world, someone in someway is dealing with and fighting something. It doesn’t have to be a “diagnosis”. It doesn’t have to be something that we’re aware of. It doesn’t have to be understood. It just needs to be handled with kindness.

In honor of World Kindness Day, let’s all work on being kinder to one another and that includes even being kinder to ourselves.

Thank you for sharing your time with me. Enjoy your day!

Love, Jenn