http://bowlofcherries.today.com information and insight into the life of a handicapped person Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:49:45 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en For most of my life, I have not realized I am handicapped. Actually, the only times I realize it is when people point it out to me. The fact that I've always been the only one in any of my classes that was in a wheelchair never seemed weird to ... http://bowlofcherries.today.com/2009/02/01/imagination/ Most kids can remember when they got their first bike. I remember my first walker. It was a big metal thing that didn't seem appropriate for a two-year-old, but I made the most of it. I attached pink streamers to the handle bars and pretended it was a bike; I ... http://bowlofcherries.today.com/2009/01/28/my-early-accessories/ My mind wanders to other familiar passages, most of them about weak people getting strength; you know, the whole running and leaping and praising God thing... which, in all honestly, bums me out sometimes, and I long to find someone in the Bible who didn't experience physical healing. As I ... http://bowlofcherries.today.com/2009/01/24/my-handicap-accessible-god-part-2/ It is exhausting sometimes to fight against anger and discouragement and self-pity, when I feel like there are obstacles in my way... when I feel very much handicapped because I'm unable to do things that I've dreamed about. I know I need to find comfort somewhere, and the Bible seems to be the best place to look. ... http://bowlofcherries.today.com/2009/01/21/my-handicap-accessible-god-part-1/ These may vary, depending on your ability and if you have an electric or manual chair. I have an electric chair, and limited range of motion, so these are things I'm able to do and have done at least once. :) Speed down an icy driveway and hit the brakes, to ... http://bowlofcherries.today.com/2009/01/20/things-to-do-in-a-wheelchair-on-a-snowy-day/ When I am in the water, I feel free. I can stretch my arms straight out in front of me, and I can peddle my legs. I can sit on the stairs or move around the edge of the shallow end of the pool or lay on my back and push ... http://bowlofcherries.today.com/2009/01/08/swimming/ I love music. I love to play the piano and sing. I love to read music, and transform black dots on a page into a melody. But as I've gotten older, my hands have gotten weaker, and while I can still read the music, I can't make my hands follow ... http://bowlofcherries.today.com/2009/01/07/playing-piano/ Yesterday I talked about the awkwardness of meeting and talking to new people. But the really awesome thing is when we can get past that stage and delve into true friendship. The thing about my handicap - my wheelchair and my limitations - is that true friends stick around, and anyone ... http://bowlofcherries.today.com/2009/01/06/special-friends/ Of course, there's always a bit of awkwardness when we meet new people... not really sure how to act, what's appropriate, etc. Add to that the uncertainty if they would be ok cutting up your food, straightening your clothes, and driving your car, and it gets even weirder! And that's ... http://bowlofcherries.today.com/2009/01/05/when-you-meet-someone-in-a-wheelchair/ Any time I go anywhere, my mind works triple-overtime. I come into a room, and I instantly start looking at everything - what tables are at a height I can use, what corner of the room can I park in where I won't block traffic, what food can I order ... http://bowlofcherries.today.com/2009/01/03/inventive-creative-analytical/