Victim

Good morning! The weather here is gorgeous, if a little hot and muggy. But this is the second day of said conditions, so I'm hoping the rain that's forecast tonight comes harder and more intensely for the two days of build up! Weighing on my mind this morning is the idea of the victim mentality. Many people have it, particularly in the neighborhood where I live. And I'm not just referring to the mindset that the world owes them something. I'm talking about the idea that the world is against us, that we're already beaten by life. And it occurs to me that I must make a conscious effort NOT to allow my blog to sound "whiny". In fact I've made it kind of a personal crusade not to whine myself--often to my own detriment when I let it keep me from asking for help. Let me be clear for the first (and probably not the last) time since re-inventing this blog as a reflecting pool for the daily struggles faced by the Disabled in America. I'm not trying to sound like a victim. I don't think of myself as a victim. And I don't think anyone with a physical disability should--or even does--think of himself (or herself) as a victim either. This blog is to raise awareness, in hopes that it might inspire some to action to affect change. It's not a "pity party" I'm throwing myself. I don't want you to feel sorry for me. It should also be emphasized: I don't want you to simply feel sorry for the disabled. Every one of us is doing what he or she can do, and I'd say we're doing it pretty well. Everybody can do something, right? I focus on that. With that in mind, I walk everywhere, or ride the bus, and remember the highlights of my experiences. I use them to illustrate the lives of those that nobody talks about. The marginalized are definitely that. They define the term; it does not define them. I'm also a volunteer with mentally disabled individuals on the Autism spectrum; young adults and occasionally older ones. I find this enormously fulfilling, and I love doing it. Plus I find it a much better use of my time than staring at my computer for hours, either networking socially or researching anything I'm curious about. The problem is finding WAYS to fill your time. I've mentioned the homeless disabled before, and this particularly concerns me about their lives. What do they do all day? How do they spend their time? Shelters turn people out onto the streets after breakfast. Where do they go? I suppose the only form of exercise readily available to the homeless is walking. Do they just walk all day long? I wouldn't last. I know I can surprise myself with what I'm capable of; I learned that after I lost my fiancé Michael in 2012, and had to learn how to maintain a house far too large for me, pay bills, buy groceries, and still remain relatively healthy--on my own. But I'm still pretty sure that being homeless would destroy me. …Moving on! The deep thoughts that last sentence provoked were threatening to depress me. Tonight I'm contemplating going to an exhibit at a nearby library. It will be a bus ride, but fortunately because I qualify for special transportation in my city, I ride the "regular" bus for free! So hopefully the weather cooperates.