Lesson's learned from a chair

My family and I went on our first vacation 6 months post surgery. My husband and I wanted to visit Washington D.C.  We were there in May of this yr, this was also the time for end of the year class trips for a lot of schools. We went to the Smithsonian museum after waiting in a long line of many middle school and high school aged kids with their chaperones we made it in. Our first stop bathroom, (one of many joys of a SCI little bladder control) there was only one stall in the bathroom for a handicap person. I wait for it to become open and I start rolling towards it and a beautiful little girl around the age of 5-6 was heading in the same stall, her mother at the sink washing her hands. I, being a mother and former teacher who loves kids,ask very politely "Hey sweetie, do you mind if I use that one? Its the only one that my wheelchair will fit into." She smiles spins on her toes and happily replies Yes.   Her mother on the other hand was not so happy that I even spoke to her to daughter. She grabs her daughter close to her gave me a look that said go to hell, then as I continued to roll past her to get to the stall she shoulder checked me with her elbow. Really? What did I do?
Later that same day at the Lincoln Memorial my husband and I are rolling through the middle of the door that leads to outside as we are almost through the doorway elementary aged kids with their chaperones leading them come towards us. Even though we were already almost through the door they pushed me back through the door so they could come in?!?!?!?!  It wasn't until a employee who saw this happen stopped the kids and their adult chaperones and asked that they move out of the way and he pushed me through that door.
I am a person!!! We are people with emotions!! Most of us look like we shouldn't be in a chair but, we are. We don't want to be in a chair just as much as you think we shouldn't be in one. Please, don't stare, don't talk about us like we are dumb, we are right in front of you. Please, teach our younger generations to respect all people regardless of disabilities, color, sex, rich or poor. We all have families, a heart, emotions and a life. Remember that the next time you look down to wave at us when we roll by.


Disability doesn't mean inability. It's all a matter of your own perspective.