wheelchair tennis? cool!

This morning on the Today show, there was a story about people who are disabled and play tennis in their wheelchairs. I love stories like that! There are so many people with disabilities that just want to live as fully as possible. Many disabled people find ways to participate in sports, music, film, theater.

Often the world looks at those of us with disabilities and thinks that we are incapable of doing practically anything. But most of us do not desire to lie around our houses, alone, watching TV and feeling sorry for ourselves all day. We want to LIVE! We want to experience so many things. Yes, we have to be creative in finding ways to do what we want to do. But it is worth it. There are disabled people who have created a way to ski (chair skis), surf, ride horses, drive cars with hand controls. I even recently read about people who hike-mountains!!!!- in wheelchairs! It is incredible, and so inspiring!

I want to be one of THOSE people. Not for glory or fame, but for my own personal satisfaction. I want my life to be full, and extraordinary. I am so thankful for the strength I have, for how much I am able to walk. So thankful that I can dance sometimes, that I can even now run- even if just a little bit! But I don't want my times of weakness to keep me from experiencing the world. I know it is not always easy to find a way to get around in a world that is built for people who can walk. But, I have been able to manage so far. And I want to do even better. I am going to keep working toward my goal of doing a 5k. I've already hiked down a mountain, and next I want to work on climbing UP!

Check out these links to some truly inspiring people:

Ester Vergeer: wheelchair tennis champ

Wheelchair hiker


Ivan Kozhouharov: paralyzed man attempting to climb Mont Blanc

Disabled Surfers