He's not bound by a wheelchair
The Boy was very excited last week -- his basketball team was featured in the Godwin HS paper. And the writer did a nice job of profiling one of his coaches, who is a student at Godwin.
But there was, for me, a little problem. And it started with the headline: "... Wheelchair Bound." The Boy isn't bound by his wheelchair -- he uses it as a tool to live life as fully as possible. It's the tool he cruises the neighborhood with. The tool that lets him play basketball. The tool he uses to get to the ski slope, and back and forth to class.
Now, there is one issue with The Boy's use of his wheels. Not sure whether it's a strength or a liability, though. The issue is that, in order for The Boy to get maximum use from his wheels, he needs a community. (I do too, BTW. But I can fake it in ways The Boy can't).
That's why I was so excited to learn about a couple guys named Justin Skeesuck and Patrick Gray, who are producing a film called, "I'll Push You." http://illpushyou.com
Where most would typically say Justin is confined to a wheelchair or wheelchair-bound, Justin simply says he "lives life in a wheelchair."
I'll share a couple quotes that are particularly meaningful to me:
At first glance, this story appears to be an adventure tackling a physical challenge in order to fulfill the dream of a man who lives life from a wheelchair. The reality of I'll Push You is that there are many ways we can push one another. Justin's perspective on life and the way in which he lives it, pushes Patrick beyond his fears and doubts.
Their goal with the film is for others to walk away recognizing each life is not defined by its limitations, but is defined by what is accomplished in spite of those limitations
The film is coming out in 2017. In the meantime, this TEDx Talk is really worth the time:
THROUGH THE ROOF
A Blog Supported by the Mosaic ministry of Third Church, ECO
"Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on." (Mark 2:3-4)
About: This is a blog about accessibility, intimacy, and community. About being welcome. It’s also about bringing up The Boy. He's 11 years old and has cerebral palsy. Also popping up are The TeenGirl, who just turned 13, and The Mom, who is awesome. It's written by The Dad. It's my words, my view. Other people will think differently and have different opinions. Good.