Past, Present & Future

My Mom has always encouraged me to look at the big picture. Where were you a year ago? What was happening in your life? After you’ve looked at your life one year ago, think back to what your life was like five years ago. Is your life better or worse than in the past?

One year ago...

·         I was finishing my psychology courses toward my degree.

·         I was studying for my last exam.

·         I was stressed because exams are not my strong suit.

Five years ago...

·         I was twenty-three and living in the house I grew up in.

·         I was struggling with the fact that my body was not performing as I thought it should.

·         I had started the process of getting a wheelchair. I was reluctant to use a wheelchair in public.

·         I started taking online courses toward my degree.

·         I became increasingly comfortable with having and using a wheelchair.

This past year...                             

·         I finished my final psychology courses toward my degree.

·         I graduated from university. It was a personal goal that lasted nearly a decade.

·         a huge amount of self inflicted stress was lifted from my shoulders.

·         I became a sister-in-law. She is amazing.

·         I became an Auntie to an adorable baby girl.

In the past five years...

·         I learned that it is okay to ask for help.

·         I realised that there was a lot of life to live in the outside world and in order to do the fun things that I wished to do, I needed to use my wheelchair.

·         I realised that nobody batted an eye at the fact that I was using a wheelchair.

·         my parents and I moved from the only home I had ever known. We now live in an apartment style condominium. I love it here. We all love it here. It is a new city, ripe with ever changing possibilities.

In one year I hope to...

·         have a healthier diet.

·         have a physical fitness routine.

·         explore vegetarian cuisine.

·         have a volunteer placement.

·         have a plan in order to get published.

·         explore dating possibilities.

·         cross a few items off of my Living List.

In five years I hope to...

·         have a volunteer or part-time career.

·         be a healthier person.

·         have at least one meatless meal a week.

·         be a published author.

·         be at peace with myself.

Happy Father’s Day

I grew up with a Mom & Dad. How lucky was I to be embraced by such loving parents. I like to tell people that my parents stopped having children after they got it right. In reality, having two older brothers is a pretty cool way to grow up.

I was a bit of a tom boy when I was younger. There t many girls in our neighbourhood, so I adapted. I had my Dad & older brothers to teach me what I needed to know.

I played softball or baseball every Summer until I went to high school. I was not a gifted athlete by any means, but I did have a lot of fun. My Dad would play catch with me, whenever I asked him to. My parents came to all of my games...and I do mean all.

I knew all of the Toronto Blue Jays & their positions. I learned their names while watching them on television with my Dad. I was always encouraged & never discouraged.

Life is not all fun & games, but we manage to find the upside in everything we do.

Live, laugh & love!

For all of the little (& big) things you do, I appreciate you.

With love hugs, on this day & everyday,

Your favourite (& only) daughter xo

Aislyn

A new addition to our family arrived just after midnight on June 3^rd, 2011. Her name is Aislyn Mei Ying.

I am now the aunt of two precious little girls. This is great fun!

Even though life can be challenging, at the end of the day, I love my life.

Wishes

I wish I was more able than I am, but my life does not end because I use a wheelchair. I know that my life isn’t over, but sometimes I feel like I am standing still & everyone around me is moving forward.

I want to have a guy to go out to dinner with. It would be nice to have a guy to go for walks by the lake. That may happen at some point, but right now it isn’t on my radar screen.

Eventually I’d love to have a baby. Not an unreasonable dream considering that I am twenty-eight years old. I want to have a family of my own someday. It may be more complicated because of my condition, but that is no reason to give up on a dream.

I’d like to have a career. One that paid me money for doing something I love to do. One step at a time I suppose. Volunteering is the next step.

Not everybody knows how to react to a person in a wheelchair & that is okay with me. I cannot expect everyone to automatically know how to act around me. I hope people can learn something from interacting with me.  Not everyone is as they might first appear. Please don’t stare; your children are watching everything you do.

These are my hopes & dreams for the future.

Dream Big!