The old saying is "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," but in reality, words do hurt you to extreme levels. People say things to you and they don't understand what it does and what effect it has on you as an individual. You are who you are, and if people can't see you for that, they can forget about you. You shouldn't take people's crap and hurtful words that could end up being the sickness of you.

I received a message on social media containing some hurtful words. I don't even know this young individual that said these words to me. "You'd think before meeting someone you could not lie. I know you have a walking problem and I just think it's cruel that you don't even tell people about it and just spring it on them when they meet you. It doesn't bother me that you walk different but it does bother me that you would just not say anything about it. Grow up dude it's 2015 and stop being immature" was the message that I got from this random guy I don't know.

What hurts me the most and blows my mind is that I don't even know this guy that has contacted me. I have never seen him around campus or have seen him anywhere. He also doesn't know why I have a walking problem. Just because apparently I "didn't tell him," doesn't make me a bad person. You have no right to tell me that I need to tell people about my disability and tell them the reason why. If you wanted to know so badly why I walk different, then come up to me, personally, and ask it to my face. This is what makes me so mad about people because he is judging a book by its cover when he hasn't even opened the book and started to read about why it is this way.

I feel that people should be who they want to be and not have to explain to other people why they are that way. I don't feel comfortable sometimes explaining myself why I walk differently, and it does hurt to talk about it. People should understand that I can deny them reasoning on this. What I would like to ask this guy is why do you care? Why do you care that I tell people about it and why do you care that I didn't tell you? I don't even know you but I have to tell you why I am the person I am?

This makes me so mad because I didn't ask for this disability. I got granted by God for having this disability. Even though I myself don't like it, I live with it with pride and joy because it is me. It is a part of me and nothing can change that. You be who you want to be and not what other people want you to be. You don't have to explain to anyone why you do different things or why you have some problems with your physical body. Just know that you are human too, and they will understand that one day, hopefully.