In my dreams there is a different world. It’s a beautiful world full of a exquisite colors and patterns. It is filled with delight and wonder. In this world curiosity and deep thought are encouraged and not derided or mocked. In this world people try to understand and empathize with each other. In this world everyone is different and at the same time equally valued. There is love, support, and acknowledgement for those who must walk difficult paths. The roadblocks have been removed and the path people must follow goes on without additional obstacles.
Disabled people are not an acceptable sacrifice
In my world no one is told that their life doesn’t matter because they’re in the minority. No one is considered an “acceptable sacrifice” for propping up the laziness and selfishness in others. No one has to watch the people they considered friends declare that they are not important or worthwhile. No one declares that suffering is imagined and feigned, and even if it’s not, it’s not really a big deal anyway.
In my world no one has to walk the tightrope between living in a selfish society and taking care of their own needs. In my world their is no need for constant balancing because there is always someone there to take your hand and pull you across. There is no need to explain why you’re walking the tightrope, because people already know and they acknowledge what you have to do.
Disabled people need support
In my world instead of wandering through the darkness on my own, people who care about me take my hand and make a chain to lead me through. A chain of love, support, and acceptance recognizing that I shouldn’t be left to drift unaided in the darkness not of my creation. No one even thinks of letting go of my hand and allowing me to wander alone forever. And because of the chain created to support me, I can grab the hands of others and help them to emerge from the darkness too. The chain goes on and on and on into the distance.
In my world no one is left to struggle by themselves while people look on feeling superior because they are not struggling. No one is abandoned because they are perceived as not valuable to society. The people who struggle the most have the strongest souls and those souls are revered for their courage and bravery. People are valued for who they are, not what they look like or how much money and power they have.
It’s the quiet voices that teach love
In my world the people who shout the loudest are listened to the least. It’s the quiet voices that teach to love, respect, and to honor other people’s stories that need to be heard. The people who prove over and over again that they are fighting for truth and justice do not go ignored, and no one twists their words to be something they are not. These people are considered warriors and have a valued place in my world.
In my world no one is left to die because they look the wrong way. People who are suffering are not accused of faking and written off, but believed and supported. No one is abandoned because of the ignorance of others.
This world is fictional, but it shouldn’t be considered impossible. All things are possible.
Hi Shelley,
Beautiful post! Once again, I am truly struck by the differences between North America and Taiwan. Perhaps this is the biggest difference between Western cultures which focus highly on the individual and Eastern cultures which are group-centric. In any case, I always enjoy your posts. This one is particularly beautiful and it’s lovely to read. You’re such a talented writer.
Thanks Carrie! That is such a good point about the difference between the east and the west. America especially is all about the individual and very rarely about the collective good.
This is such a lovely post. I’d like to live in your world.