My name is Laurie and I was born with a limb difference – only one finger on my right hand – and like you, I am a remarkably adaptive person.
My family migrated to Australia from South East Asia when I was young and I lived in Sydney until I was in my late 20s when I packed up my things and headed to London.
I attended mainstream primary and secondary schools, then went on to university where I studied Media and Communications.
I have been so fortunate that I have never been treated any differently because of my limb difference and I don’t feel like I have ever missed out on anything. I have played sports, musical instruments (poorly) and been fortunate enough to have avoid any discrimination during school or in the workplace.
In a weird way, at the age of 25, I discovered my disability. And I will blog about this in the future.
I had always known my limb difference was there, but didn’t realise the possibilities that it possessed. Over time I learnt about my situation and what a blessing it has been on my life and those around me.
In 2014 I was selected to be an ambassador for the New South Wales Don’t DIS my ABILITY campaign, which promotes the potential of people with disability, in and out of the workplace. I am proud to have been a “helping hand (singular)” to this cause.
They say that blogging is therapeutic… it is… once you get started and find a bit of momentum!
Therefore, part of the reason this is for me personally, and the other is to connect with people with disabilities, and without.
I have always loved sharing stories, and previously blogged about my overseas travels. But this blog is a new take on my life – it doesn’t tell all of it, but it tells a big part of it. I once was not comfortable sharing this, but now I feel compelled, obliged, and even quite passionate about this topic.
I want this to be a collection of the challenges, the stupidities, some of the tears and a lot of the laughs. These are also my uncensored thoughts and opinions on a whole range of issues that relate to me.
And it is not just my writing, I want to share what people far smarter than I have written or said.
I once thought I was doing this alone – how wrong was I?
I believe that you can go your whole life without knowing someone with a disability, and you will have missed out. It is too easy to fall into the trap of seeing someone with a disability as inferior or an object to show empathy. What you actually gain through listening, is a different perspective of life. Some of the most heartfelt stories are from parents of children with disabilities, who say that in spite of the challenges they have been enriched and have had great joy that they never believed they would have because of their circumstances.
I hope that you find these posts thought-provoking but also take them in the humour they were written. And a last note of warning – political correctness is not my forte.
Please write comments, share posts, challenge what I say and tell me how this affects you.