Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Poem: Everybody Has a Disability

 “Everybody has a disability, 
but you can’t always see it.” 
Matt Sullivan

There is the obvious,
the noticed,
the defined
disability:

an injury,
a deformity,
a missing limb,
a limp,
a prosthetic leg,
arm,
or hand;

a wheelchair
tells a story too.

then there is the disability you can't see:

a heart condition,
cancer,
dyslexia,
crohn’s disease,
diabetes,
a broken heart,
an aching sadness,
profound loneliness,
anxiety,
depression,
fear
 
when we meet a man,
we see his body
but not his soul,
not his heart,
not his inner turmoil.
 
remember that everyone
has something,
some burden,
some trial,
that hides beneath their skin,
that drains strength from their soul.
 
be kind, be considerate,
be aware that disabilities
can’t always be seen.

2 comments:

  1. This kind of empathy is one of the gifts of depression, I think, and it's good there are a few.

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  2. Much truth in what you say, Shannon. The quote is from a young man from Columbus. His mother is a good friend and he is dealing with a disability as a result of an accident. An exceptional young man.

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