BOOMER JOURNEYS

The modern world seems to me to be designed for some arbitrary average person.  This ideal human is thin enough to find extra room in a theater or plane seat; can easily fit fingers onto the keyboards of mini-computers; can read the fine print on medicine bottles without assistance and can clearly hear a cell phone conversation over the cacophony of a crowd.
That perfect person can also open a jar that has been sealed shut strong enough for space travel; can open a bag of snacks without spewing the contents into the air; and can carry all the ingredients for a complete Thanksgiving dinner including the 25-pound bird and still have energy to bake the meal and clean up afterwards.  In short, this person does not exist.
Most people, however, find ordinary living fairly easy.  Most people are not disabled but one in five Americans cannot perform the activities of daily living without some assistance.  The two most common disabilities are vision loss and disability caused by arthritis. 
Twenty years ago I suffered vision loss due to a rare disorder.  The loss was enough to qualify me as legally blind.  A recent reoccurrence has changed my vision again. 
My disability is mild.  I cannot drive and I cannot clearly see anything smaller than the headline on a newspaper.  I’m lucky.
Others have disabilities that profoundly affect all aspects of their lives.  As more of us age, as veterans return wounded from war and as modern life take its toll; most Americans will either have some level of disability or work or live with someone who does. 
There are two elements to dealing with disabilities: the disabled person and the person without disability.  Both need to accept, adapt, get creative and be informed. 
Start with the perspective of the disabled.  Acceptance is not resignation.  It is merely an acknowledgement that a part (usually major) of life has changed.  Unless modern science or medicine can restore “that
part”, life will be altered from this point forward.
Adaptation is the crucial key.  Almost any destination can be reached by several different routes.  You may not be able to take the road you mapped out but you will find another way to get where you want to go. 
We live in an age where advanced technology and medicine can fill in most gaps in ability.  Computers, in particular, open a world of possibilities to many people with special needs. 
Within reason and safety, define your own limitations.  The human brain is capable of compensating in ways doctors and their patients may not realize.  Challenge yourself and gather a support group that keeps you motivated. 
Be honest.  I have never asked for help that was not given freely and cheerfully.  If you state your need simply, those around you will give as much or as little assistance as you require. 
A disability is a part of who you are in the same way as your hair color or talent.  It does not define you. 
Be creative.  Challenge yourself and others to find ways to alter your environment so you can do more. 
Stay informed.  Medicine, science and technology move rapidly and may already be working on the breakthrough you need. 
For those without disability, much the same applies.  Accept people with disabilities as if they had none.  Simple courtesy and thoughtfulness are always good attributes for anyone and any occasion. 
Lack of ability is not lack of understanding.  Two of the most common and yet oddest reactions to disability I have experienced are from people who raise their voice or slow their speech when speaking with someone who is disabled. 
If a person is blind, raising your voice will not help them see better.  A person slowed by a wheelchair can still engage in a lively conversation. 
Expand your perspective.  In every day life, look for ways to open activities and opportunities to people of all abilities.  Talents hidden by disability are possibilities lost for all of us. 
For those with disabilities and those without, two of the best tools in life are patience and humor.  Developing both will give you the ability to deal with all that life offers.