What Do You Want To Know? (WDYWTK?)

How do you stay positive even when people look at you differently?

I'll be turning twenty-one this May, and I'll start by saying that it has not always been able to stay positive. It was the worst when I was younger because the looks people gave just made no since to me.  After all I was only little, and I could/cannot help the way I am, so I would always ask my parents "Why do people always look at me like that?" -- Their response was usually something like "because they don't know any better." Or on days when it bothered me a lot they would simply say "because your so darn cute.." but of course I knew the real reason, it was because of the wheelchair or  walker. 

As I grew older I had learned that the way people looked at me was not really a sign of something wrong with me, but something wrong with them. This idea helped me a lot because I then began to understand that people who stared at me did not really know any better or they were acting on what they were taught was children. So whenever it was possible instead of simply letting them stare I started to go up to them with a smile and say "is there anything you would like to know.." after saying "hi" or course.  Usually people were to shy to actually ask a question, but by me simply attempting to talk with them already broke down on one of the many social stigma briers that we as humans have created for ourselves. 

I've learned over time that its harder for the person without the disability (especially family or friends) that have a more difficult time dealing with me being stared at then I do. The average friend of family tends to get defensive and try to stand up for me, but then I remind them that not everyone knows a person with a disability in their life so they usually believe all the misconceptions that are tied to disability.

Some Examples: Your not smart. you cannot talk, you cannot feed yourself, dress yourself, you cannot have a 'real life' or ever live on your own. Just to name a few.

That's a lot of can't right? One would think you could not be positive with all the Cannot that everyone throws at you, but there is something you can do...

You must always try to turn those cannot's into cans, and maybe you wont be able to do EVERYTHING, but at least you proved it to yourself, because nobody can tell you what you can do except for you!

And the more you let yourself say "Yes I can" instead of "No I can't" the happier and more positive you will be! -- Always remember if someone gives you a funny look it's not because something is wrong with you it means that whoever that person is just needs a little help to understand you. 

I hope that kind of answers your question!