Not Disabled just differently abled

by Tina Y. Gerber-McCurley

It doesn't seem that long ago, when I was in high school. A gang of us would gather at lunch and head to either Emil's or Hanks Pastries for lunch. I remember sitting at Hanks counter waiting for our food, and this very cute boy came into the restaurant. I nudged my girlfriend and she gave me a queer look. I said, I don't really know this boy but decided I would like to meet him. She quickly told my other two friends and the three of them began to laugh at me. They called me naive but I had no idea what was so funny. They began to say, he was a retard (the language used back then). I was shocked, even back then, this was not how my mother raised me. I really wanted to met him and thought about this situation for weeks.

So, a person with a disability can be neutral today, or others may see it as someone who has limitations.

“Differently-abled” is an alternative term which emphasizes the different abilities individuals with disabilities have, rather than their lacking abilities. My husband introduced me to this term which its a more positive way to describe someone's condition. I tend to like person-centred language, but I also really like differently-abled. Disabled totally works though, especially if someone is using it for themselves. I myself have a handicapped disability parking pass.

Once, after my daughter's horseback riding accident, we were parked at the medical centre, and, a woman became verbally abusive as we parked in a disabled parking spot. My daughter, Emily, looked like a vibrant person. Just because you can't see a disability doesn't mean its not there.

My niece, who is legally blind, can get around town like no one else I know. We decided to meet for lunch, and at that time, she lived in Peterborough, Ontario. I escorted her to her appointment downtown, taking her directions as we went. We parked at the spot she indicated which was close to her appointment. A few minutes later as we walked down the street, she kindly said, “Aunt Tina you've passed the building already?!” I told her, I didn't see the sign indicating what she was looking for. Sure enough, she had counted the steps and knew the exact location. This blew my mind. I continued to follow her around downtown Peterborough, as we went shopping and visited the stores.

Another amazing event was, when her dog needed to go… and he went. Lee-ann was able to neatly and quickly remove his mess from the sidewalk. Talk about being abled! Disabled shouldn't be a bad word in my opinion.

The New Testament emphasizes God's love for all, including those with disabilities. It calls for inclusion and care, expressing respect and compassion as everyone is loved and valued by God.