Count Your Blessings

Go on. Try it. This is what I love to do when I’m feeling low. I think of all the people that have been incredible contributions to my quality of life. I’m living and breathing. I feel incredibly blessed. When I was younger, maybe thirteen or so, I used to think back on all my bad memories. And I used to dwell on them, a hell of a lot. And it wasn’t good for me. At all. It just used to drag me into the hole of self-pity I had built for myself from say, the age of ten. At this stage, I was so aware that maybe I wasn’t what they called “normal”. I mean, I have memories of hospitals, doctors, needles, medical professionals telling my parents things I was only going to really understand five years down the line. I don’t think I’ve spoken about my personal issues on the blog as of yet, but I’m perfectly willing to. You see, I’m in a wheelchair. And after seventeen years, I can, without self-loathing, that I’m so proud of this fact. I have met so many amazing and inspirational people. It’s actually crazy how much I love my life. 

I work closely with a charity called Go Kids Go! which help children who are wheelchair users to become independent. I was ten when I went to my first course. The first time I mastered the wheelie, I was so proud of myself. I’m not even joking. Seven years later, I’m now a Teen Ambassador of the charity. Go Kids Go! has pretty much been my second family for the majority of my life. When I wake up in the morning and start to feel bad about my situation, I think of the gift that I’ve been given. Life. I like to think of my wheelchair as my best friend. It has given me so many opportunities. It made me realise my purpose. These children who are in wheelchairs, I can empathise with them. I know what it feels like. I started to feel so uplifted when I knew my life wasn’t useless. Given the independence that these children are bound to receive through these courses, they can live a happy and fulfilled life, knowing that nothing on this Earth can ever stop from going to chase, with such ferocity, whatever makes them spark with life. Makes them feel alive knowing that there is a reason for everything, letting them find their own purpose and being able to find what makes them feel alive. Knowing that I get to help these kids fulfill their upmost potential fills me with inspiration, every part of my being knowing that, collectively, we can make a difference.