Life Lessons, continued

Sometimes people ask me if the accident is a life changer for me. Why yes it is! As I mentioned previously, I really can’t believe how I walked away from the accident with just a broken leg and fractured ribs. I know God was taking care of me and spared my life. Every day, I am grateful and thankful to be alive. When I see people post “FML” on Facebook, it makes me cringe because can our lives really be THAT bad? Well, is that all that has changed for me? That I have a different outlook on life? No!

Now that I’m handicapped, getting around is definitely harder. Sometimes I use a walker, but if I have to move for long distances (which isn’t really that far for most people), I use a wheelchair. People can be really nice or really rude. Sometimes people cut me in line and some people will accidentally kick or run into my wheelchair when they try to bypass me. And I don’t mind that they pass me because I know I’m so slow. But when they run into me accidentally, they tend to look at me like it was my fault that they ran into me. And many times they don’t bother to apologize. Now I know that I might be inconveniencing them for a few seconds, but do they know how inconvenienced I am for the next few months? And I think about the people who are permanently disabled. So many times we pass by people who are disabled thinking they are in our way, walking too slow, or taking up space. Basically, they’re just in the way! And instead of offering to help, we tend to treat them like second class citizens. Sometimes we’re just downright rude to them. And I’m ashamed to say I have treated disabled people like that. If you are not one of these people, props to you! Being disabled is very difficult and those people need our help. We are so fortunate to be able to move painlessly and effortlessly. It only takes a few seconds of our time to help someone who can’t move easily, someone who can’t reach something, someone who can’t get to the public bathroom easily. From now on, whenever I see a disabled person, I will offer to help them. Because it’s easy for me, but it’s hard for them. Because it only inconveniences me for a few seconds, and they’re inconvenienced their whole life.

Through this accident, God has not only showed me how fortunate I am to be alive, He continually reveals and teaches new things to me. He’s revealed to me how selfish and self centered I was in the way I treated disabled people. And now, not only am I grateful for another chance at life, I am also aware of the needs of disabled people and how I can treat them better. I wonder what God will reveal and teach me next.