Today I was working. Now for many of you that conjures up images of bar staff, office jobs, warden duties and so on. However, what I was doing today was something different. I was helping, or caring, for Alan, a man who has Cerebral Palsy. I have mentioned him in a previous post, You can succeed.
Anyway, today we were going up to Aberdeen where he was partaking in a Boccia competition. Everyone participating at the event was disabled in some way, although some were less noticeable than others. Throughout the duration of the competition several competitors approached me and were engaging me in conversation, a task for some of them was a great challenge. As I watched them make their round around the crowd that was there, chatting away to those they recognised I felt slightly self conscious. I was a new face among a group of people who frequently met in competitions. As some of the competitors stared at me I thought about how society often stares at them and judges them for what they are unable to do. These people are determined, self motivated and totally normal people and it really riles me up when I hear people call them horrid names.
It was an interesting day that was very revealing about the way society works. For all those idiots out there who ridicule others and call these people names they do not deserve, I'd like to see you battle every day the way they do!