Comments on: Are You Challenged or Disabled?

By: Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills

Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:02:46 +0000

Thanks Kate, I am so glad you liked it. He has definitely been an inspiration to me and I love to share stories that inspire. Thanks for joining the conversation.

By: kate smedley

kate smedley — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:55:31 +0000

Thanks for an excellent article on disability and our perception of what disability actually is, you have given us all much food for thought. I also love the quote by Richard Bach. Your friend John is an inspiration to us all.

By: Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills

Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:59:39 +0000

Hi Robin, your husbands exercise reminds me of a similar approach by another teacher. He would assign pairs of students to go to public places like a mall. One would sit in a wheelchair and the other would push. After several hours they would trade places. His students quickly gained a new perspective on life. They got to experience first hand the way other people reacted to them. It was a awakening, to say the least.

By: Robin Easton

Robin Easton — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:10:53 +0000

Hi Jonathan, this is very thoughtful and encourages us to think deeply, to tap into hitherto untouched reserves of inner strength. Having climbed out of several very deep holes in my life (where I had to fight for my life) I can say that the loss of a limb would be a devastating blow but I would force myself to go on, and not JUST go on, but go on until I became whole again in spirit. I don’t say this lightly, I say it from a place of knowing the various odds I’ve faced at times of my life. It would take a bit of time, but eventually I would find my focus again and move toward it one day at a time. I would find the thing or things that gave me hope, that inspire passion in me and excitement, the desire to dream, the courage to not just live, but to live fully and with great joy. There are extremes of loss that would seem almost impossible to over come, but I pray that I would.

My husband does an exercise in one of his classes where the students have to strap one arm to their body and go an entire 24 hour period without being able to use it. It makes people think, value what they had and develop compassion, etc. Thank you for such a touching post. I highly value it and you.
Robin Easton´s last blog ..What Forced You into Awareness?

By: Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills

Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:22:54 +0000

Hi Stephen, it’s true that all of us learn to work with what we’ve got. Some limitations have always been with us and so, for example, being unable to fly is not really a challenge. We never had that ability and neither does anyone else.

The real challenge arises when we lose abilities that we once had, as in Mark’s case (comment #2), or we are born without something that most people have, as in Rachel’s case (comment #1). Loss challenges us on almost every level and that’s when strength of character really comes into play.

By: Stephen - Rat Race Trap

Stephen - Rat Race Trap — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:42:46 +0000

“I just finished reading a post on Jonathan Fields blog – Awake at the Wheel, which said that 52% of Americans would rather be dead than disabled. ”

I published this article on my blog a while back. I believe I have read that after 6 months or 1 year after an accident, people who have been permanently injured are just as happy as they were before and that they are just as happy as non-injured people.

Another way to look at all of this is to just accept what is. I can’t fly so does that mean I’m disabled? I can’t run 100 mph so I’m a disabled? I’m not as smart as some other people I know so am I disabled? I jump as high as some other people, etc.

You work with what you’ve got. That’s life. That’s just the way it is.
Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s last blog ..Are You Addicted to Speed?

By: Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills

Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 01:02:47 +0000

Hi Bunny, I am glad you liked it. I think it’s wonderful how we get inspired when we see how others have overcome, or dealt with, very challenging situations. When channeled in a positive direction, the human spirit is an awesome force.

By: Bunnygotblog

Bunnygotblog — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:50:41 +0000

Great article Jonathan -
Thank you for bring it to my attention. This very moving and I must say I appreciate all I have and all who have over come disabilities.
Thank you again
Bunnygotblog´s last blog ..A Great Woman: Rita Levi-Montalcini

By: Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills

Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:44:33 +0000

Hi Marelisa, thanks for joining the conversation. You made several excellent points. Most people are unaware of the fact that we have both physical and emotional set points. After a disruption of any kind, we tend to revert to whatever state or condition was previously considered as normal. Thankfully, with some effort we can establish new set points if we feel the need. Once established, they become our new “norm.”

By: Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills

Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:33:25 +0000

Thanks Frank, there is a lot of value in the way accounts like this help adjust our perspective. Truth is, we are very fortunate and it’s good to be reminded of that sometimes.