Five-Star Disability

Hello readers

It is an exciting world today, right?  We are constantly bombarded with all kinds of stimuli, some good, some bad, some boring and some otherwise.

If something negative happens to you, like:

• the world throws you a nasty curve ball,

• you experience a series of minor catastrophes,

• you get your face planted into a snow drift (it’s winter here),

• a flat tire will also do the trick,

• or maybe your spouse drives you batty, asking the same question over and over again,

• or you get frustrated riding an overcrowded bus.

What do you do?  Do you smile and carry on?  Or you feel like hitting something or, shockingly, someone?  Or do you take the verbal recourse and use expletives?  I am guilty of mumbling, muttering, signing and hurling expletives whenever something goes awry!

And, yet, I have come to the realization that not every catastrophe warrants an “expletive” response.  In fact, no situation does!

Try to stop yourself from colourful “bleeps” when some situation screws you over.  Step back and ask yourself: was that really worth it to yell “BLEEP” at the guy who cut you off, or mumbling “bleep” at the lady who cut ahead in line?  Maybe it was worth it and you feel better.  But maybe some introspection, you discover that it was not worth the “expletive”.

Take today, for example: my 10 year old son were coming home from downtown on the subway when it was announced that the subway we were riding was going out of service.  Being Deaf-Blind, I didn’t hear that announcement.  Truth be told, I was engrossed in level 912 of Candy Crush, and my son was also engrossed in his MineCraft (the worlds most boring game).  Some kindly grandma tapped me on the shoulder and gestured -I guess she tried her voice, but that didn’t work- to come off the train.  I mumbled the F word, poked my son and got off the subway.

I guess I mumbled it fairly clearly, because Kindly Grandma looked a little annoyed.   While waiting there for the next train, I realized that “Fudgsicle!” was inappropriate because, A) I can’t get upset over something that I can’t hear, and B) a stranger helped me!  So, when the train rolled up, I did apologize to Kindly Grandma and vowed to watch what I say!

Do you feel that way too?

Kindly Grandma’s rock!

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