Walk in Their Shoes

Another recent article was about the increase in disability claims. Responses to this article were that most people on disabilty were not really hurt, they were gaming the system. The problem is of course is that it is easy to remember that one person we know that we think is not disabled. I can think of two people right now that I know are deemed disabled. Yet when I see them I might say to myself " I think they do not look that bad." But do I really know?

This past fall I got sick. We are still awaiting a diagnosis but it appears not to be a good one. i have a muscle diesease which is making my arms very weak, it hard to walk any distances etc etc. Yet when we go to one of my son's basketball games if you just saw us walk in and did not notice that I have to have a handrail to pull myself up or an arm to hold onto to get onto the bleachers, or someone set up my chair ( that someone carries in for me) before I set down you would not know the struggle I have. If you saw me after I was seated and did not notice we tried to let the crowd clear before we left. While a person should not be embarrassed to be ill we also do not want to attract attention, the result is many people think they know your situation.

I have been guilty of this as well. The comments I read stated that too many people were not really injured. For me that is a foolish statement. Inevitably there are some that are, there will always be people who try to get away with something. Perhaps we need to say we should not have disability insurance through the Social Security Program. If someone is injured there family should become poverty stricken, there are some that believe this. The issue is that no one thinks they will be disabled until they are. The easiest thing a person can do is have an opinion. The hardest thing a person can do is walk in someone else's shoes and have that same opinion.

In an earlier post I talked about poor parenting and children not knowing how to hold a book when they come to school. I hope I am not being judgemental then. I think that is part of parenting.

The point is we are all judgemental. We all should strive not be to be part of pointing out the problem, but part of an idea for a fix.

As for me I may or may not be disabled, when we get a diagnosis I will know more. But the choice between being seen as a fake or losing all pride and wallowing in it is not a choice a person should have to make. Most people I know that have an injury would suck it up as long as they could, I did but when they finally break down they should not have to be viewed as a cheat because of it.

The Bible says Do not Judge lest ye be judged. In all things we should remember this. I know that is my goal for myself