Use Your Voice: Being Open About Disabilities

Guest post by Samantha Brown, edited for clarity

Hi, my name is Samantha. I was born five weeks early with brain damage.

At a little over a year old, we learned I have Cerebral Palsy. Then at the age of four, my parents discovered I had epilepsy after having a seizure that threatened my life.  I also have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

The doctors said my life would not be normal. I would not do things like others,  and I would not finish high school.

But now I'm 24 and I beat the odds.

When I was younger and first started school, people would turn or look away from me. I felt shy and nervous. You should take the time to learn about someone because you never know what they are going through. You need to see the bigger picture. Sometimes the hardest roadblocks we face are the ones that can't be seen clearly by others. Remember words can change the way someone thinks or feels, and it might become easier to talk about what you came from.

The challenges we face in our lives make us look at the blessings we have been given.  It can help bring you to where you belong with a brighter outlook on what can happen. Use your own voice to bring back the joy, happiness, and blessings of  the world we live in.

Samantha Brown