A Wheelchair View

You can tuck all your dreams away in a box and hide it in a cluttered room. But in the attic, in the corner, under mounds of books, clothes, toys and cobwebs; that crushed, faded, mangled and torn box of dreams will find a way to haunt you. The spirit of that box will sneak up behind you through the years and whisper in your ear. Words like “I wish I could” or “if only” will echo into the void and return with “I should have,” and “why didn't I?”  In to Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee’s character Atticus Finch says, “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” This kind of courage is the act of faith and determination, it is not about winning in the end, it is about not going down without a fight. After all regrets come stronger in the things that we did not do or try, then the things we did and...

I started the Dr. Oz's Reparative Or 'Ex-Gay' Episode and couldn't bear to watch anymore of it after 10 minutes. It reminded me so much of a society who believes that my life would be so much better if I was not disabled so they try to "fix me" through therapy, surgery, and the worst one of all, faith healing. This stigma comes from small minds who are clinging to their cookie cutter magazine perfect world and anything beyond the mediocrity just has to be "fixed." After all we don't want to mess with the perfect body fantasy. Never mind that if we have a creator who does not make mistakes created people of all shapes, sizes, colors, abilities and yes, orientation; we are simply telling God how to do "his" job. We are robbing ourselves of the treasures of our diversities and the lessons we can learn from them all because we want to hold on to a idea that is just that, an idea. What if, my disability could be put into the background of wh...

Beyond the Silver Lining by Etha Walters I took this photo while sitting on the patio of my new apartment. The blue sky and big fluffy clouds greeted me with such promise for a fresh new start. When my husband told me a year ago that he wanted a divorce, I had no idea how much my life would change. The last six months have been the most devastating. I sold everything that I could to move including much of my photography equipment, and literally felt stripped of everything. This heavenly view, right off my patio gives me great hope in what is to come. It is just me and Miss Cleo (My cat) now, and I am adjusting quite well to my new environment, and yes, living alone. Moving furniture and boxes around with my body and my wheelchair reminds me that I am still strong and I can still do this. Other challenges take a little more practice and commitment, but that is just life in a wheelchair. Now that I am settled, it is time to rebuild my life. The kids are gone and I am now single ...

Photo by Envy Graphix Here we are in 2012! Has the excitement worn off yet? For me this is a new year that compliments a new chapter in my life both personally and professionally. I have embraced the symbolic nature that a new year holds and I am rolling with it as far as it takes me! However, I might have to stop occasionally to recharge my batteries. 2011 was a year of great loss. My family and I got hit with some financial difficulties, which caused my already strained marriage to buckle and implode. I have had to sell most of my photography equipment, to make ends meet and keep us fed. And my daughter has had her own life changing struggles she has had to endure. We have deemed 2011 the year of “Murphy’s Law (‘If anything can go wrong, it will" .) I want to educate and enlighten others by my experiences but, I also want to maintain a level of privacy and professionalism; please bear with me while I find that balance. Needless to say I was happy to see the end to 20...