Would I Choose Not To Be Disabled?

The Question

When people ask me about my disability, the questions vary. A couple of easy to answer questions that I get all of the time are, “What’s the name of your disability?” or “Is it painful?” Then there are harder questions that I don’t know how to answer right away. Can you imagine being asked, “If you were given a choice, would you choose not to be disabled?” when you’re just trying to hang out with some friends? I don’t even mind when people come up to me when they are curious about my disability and I’m usually very willing to talk to people about it but when I was asked this certain question, I had to walk away because how am I supposed to answer that? Why would you even ask that? Then I thought…wait, would I?

I shouldn’t have let this question run through my mind for so long. I should have just ignored it and never thought about it again. This question was really frustrating for me at first because the reality is, I know that I will never wake up one day and not have my disability. Nobody can wave a magic wand for me. It just doesn’t work like that. But theoretically, if I was given the chance to wake up one day and not have my disability, I honestly don’t think I would.

My Answer

Would it be 100% easier without my disability? Absolutely. There are countless things that would make life a little bit less difficult but I’ve never been one to take the easy way out anyway. People have told me that I’m strong and I completely believe that I’m so strong because of my disability. I have struggled with various things in life but I fight hard to overcome each obstacle that I encounter. I never tell myself or others that “I can’t” without trying everything to find a solution for the challenge I’m facing. My disability has truly shaped me into the person that I am today. So who would I be without it?

So to provide a solid answer to that question that I’ve pondered for many years, the answer is no. I wouldn’t choose to not be disabled because I wouldn’t be me. I wouldn’t know who that person is. The biggest reason of all though? I’m happy with who I am and how I was made. This is the person I was meant to be and I would never change that. 

Never forget that you’re perfect just the way you are.

Xoxo,

Amanda Burnett