"Oh, you work for a handicapped person? That must be a lot of work..."
Actually no, no it's not. Not when you love what you do.
No, she is not elderly, she's actually 26 years old.
No, she is not mentally absent; actually, it's quite the opposite since she has her Masters in Psychology, and her learning doesn't stop there.
And yes, she can see you staring, but she is polite enough not to say anything and will return your gawking expression with a smile. I, however, am not so polite.
I work for a 26 year old female who was born with cerebral palsy. For those who do not know, CP is a congenital disorder that affects the muscles, their movement, and posture. She has full range of motion in her left arm, half or less range of motion in her right arm, and moderate stiffness with spastic movement in both of her legs. In short, think of a perfectly operating mind in a body that is unable to do activities necessary for daily living.
That is where I, along with her other aids, come in. We are the other half of her right arm and her legs when she can't bear all the weight. We are the aids for her body when it is weak, but trust me when I say her mind never wavers. She edits my college papers, listens to my first world problems and responds with advice worthy of public consumption; she has shown me what resilience really is.
It isn't just sucking it up and dealing with it. It is looking at the situation at hand and making it work. She has taught me to smile at my worst and to laugh at my best. She has shown me this life has no boundaries for me, no limitations that I cannot overcome, especially with the help of those who love me.
I get to go to work each day and watch a girl exceed all expectations and overcome all restraints. I get to watch two parents who still love each other endlessly, even after thirty years of marriage, while raising two disabled children. This family has taken me in as their own, helping me with nursing classes, always making me feel welcome and never giving up on me, their children, or the amazing lives they lead.
Never in my 20 years on this earth have I met a person or a family with such a positive outlook on life. Someone who genuinely tries to see the absolute best in every single person she encounters. Her laugh is contagious, her smile is always there, her mind is always working, and her spirit is always willing to lend a hand however she can.
She is nothing short of amazing and an inspiration to all, though you will never hear her say so, her modesty being her only restraint.
If I could give every parent a helpful hint for their children, it would be to work with a client who has any sort of restriction or disability, regardless of your child's career choice. The reward it gives me every time I walk through that door is unimaginable. There are not enough "thank you's" in this world to tell her and her family how grateful I am for the chance they gave me that day at my interview, the impact each of them has had on my young and limitless life, and the path they will continue to set for me to admire for years to come.
